Welcome to the Dark side
by jacquisup
Summary: After his friends desert him and Dumbledore keeps things from him Harry joins Voldemort. When they find out they're going to regret it. (Snape is really back on Voldemort's side from Dumbledore making him do so much. But will make him think he's still on his side)
1. Chapter 1

He pressed the nearest 'down' button and a lift clattered into sight almost immediately, the golden grilles slid apart with a great, echoing clanking and they dashed inside. Harry stabbed the number nine button; the grilles closed with a bang and the lift began to descend, jangling and rattling. Harry had not realized how noisy the lifts were on the day he had come with Mr. Weasley; he was sure the din would raise every security person within the building, yet when the lift halted, the cool female voice said, "Department of Mysteries," and the grilles slid open. They stepped out into the corridor where nothing was moving but the nearest torches, flickering in the rush of air from the lift.

Harry turned towards the plain black door.

"Let's go," he whispered, and he led the way down the corridor, Luna right behind him, gazing around with her mouth slightly open.

"Okay, listen," said Harry stopping again within six feet of the door. "Maybe… maybe a couple of people should stay here as a — as a lookout, and —"

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"We're coming with you, Harry," said Neville.

"Let's get on with it," said Ron firmly.

He turned to face the door and walked forwards… it swung open and he marched over the threshold, the others at his heels.

They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling; identical, unmarked, handle less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue; their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor made it look as though there was dark water underfoot.

"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered.

He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it. Without the long chink of light from the torch lit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor there were around a dozen doors here. Just as he was gazing ahead at the doors opposite him, trying to decide which was the right one, there was a great rumbling noise and the candles began to move sideways. The circular wall was rotating.

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as though frightened the floor might move, too, but it did not.

For a few seconds, the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around; then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again.

Harry's eyes had blue streaks burned into them; it was all he could see.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron fearfully.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through," said Ginny in a hushed voice.

Harry realized at once she was right: he could no sooner identify the exit door than locate an ant on the jet-black floor; and the door through which they needed to proceed could be any one of the dozen surrounding them.

"How're we going to get back out?" said Neville uncomfortably.

"Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully, blinking to try to erase the blue lines from his vision, and clutching his wand tighter than ever, "we won't need to get out till we've found Sirius -"

"Don't go calling for him, though!" Hermione said urgently.

"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't -" Harry began. He swallowed. "In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room - that's this one - and then I went through another door into a room that kind of… glitters. We should try a few doors," he said hastily, "I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

He marched straight at the door now facing him, the others following close behind him, set his left hand against its cool, shining surface, raised his wand ready to strike the moment it opened, and pushed.

It swung open easily.

After the darkness of the first room, the lamps hanging low on golden chains from this ceiling gave the impression that this long rectangular room was much brighter, though there were no glittering, shimmering lights as Harry had seen in his dreams. The place was quite empty except for a few desks and, in the very middle of the room, an enormous glass tank of deep green liquid, big enough for all of them to swim in; a number of pearly-white objects were drifting around lazily in it.

"What're those things?" whispered Ron.

"Dunno," said Harry.

"Are they fish?" breathed Ginny.

"Aquavirius Maggots!" said Luna excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding —"

"No," said Hermione. She sounded odd. She moved forward to look through the side of the tank.

"They're brains."

"Brains?"

"Yes… I wonder what they're doing with them?"

Harry joined her at the tank. Sure enough, there could be no mistake now he saw them at close quarters. Glimmering eerily, they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green liquid, looking something like slimy cauliflowers.

"Let's get out of here," said Harry. "This isn't right, we need to try another door."

"There are doors here, too," said Ron, pointing around the walls.

"In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one," he said. "I think we should go back and try from there."

So they hurried back into the dark, circular room; the ghostly shapes of the brains were now swimming before Harry's eyes instead of the blue candle flames.

"Wait!" said Hermione sharply, as Luna made to close the door of the brain room behind them.

_"Flagrate!"_

No sooner had the door clicked shut behind them than there was a great rumbling, and once again the wall began to revolve very fast, but now there was a great red-gold blur in amongst the faint blue and, when all became still again, the fiery cross still burned, showing the door they had already tried.

"Good thinking," said Harry. "Okay, let's try this one -"

Again, he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, his wand still raised, the others at his heels.

This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the center of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet deep. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot. Instead of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the center of the pit, on which stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched.

"Who's there?" said Harry, jumping down on to the bench below. There was no answering voice, but the veil continued to flutter and sway.

"Careful!" whispered Hermione.

Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly towards the dais. The pointed archway looked much taller from where he now stood than it had when he'd been looking down on it from above. Still the veil swayed gently, as though somebody had just passed through it.

"Sirius?" Harry spoke again, but more quietly now that he was nearer.

He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway. Gripping his wand very tightly, he edged around the dais, but there was nobody there; all that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil.

"Let's go," called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps.

"This isn't right, Harry, come on, let's go."

She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam.

"Harry, let's go, okay?" said Hermione more forcefully.

"Okay," he said, but did not move. He had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil.

"What are you saying?" he said, very loudly, so that his words echoed all around the stone benches.

"Nobody's talking, Harry!" said Hermione, now moving over to him.

Someone's whispering behind there," he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. "Is that you, Ron?"

"I'm here, mate," said Ron, appearing around the side of the archway.

"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming louder; without really meaning to put it there, he found his foot was on the dais.

"I can hear them too," breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil. "There are people in there!"

"What do you mean, 'in there'?" demanded Hermione, jumping down from the bottom step and sounding much angrier than the occasion warranted, "there isn't any 'in there', it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there. Harry, stop it, come away -"

She grabbed his arm and pulled, but he resisted.

"Harry, we are supposed to be here for Sirius!" she said in a high-pitched, strained voice.

"Sirius," Harry repeated, still gazing, mesmerized, at the continuously swaying veil. "Yeah…"

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry muttered.

He took several paces back from the dais and wrenched his eyes from the veil.

"Let's go," he said.

"That's what I've been trying to - well, come on, then!" said Hermione, and she led the way back around the dais. On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring, apparently entranced, at the veil too.

Without speaking, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm, Ron grabbed Neville's, and they marched them firmly back to the lowest stone bench and clambered all the way back up to the door.

"What d'you reckon that arch was?" Harry asked Hermione as they regained the dark circular room.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous," she said firmly, again inscribing a fiery cross on the door.

Once more, the wall span and became still again. Harry approached another door at random and pushed. It did not move.

"What's wrong?" said Hermione.

"It's… locked…" said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it didn't budge.

"This is it, then, isn't it?" said Ron excitedly, joining Harry in the attempt to force the door open.

"Bound to be!"

"Get out of the way!" said Hermione sharply. She pointed her wand at the place where a lock would have been on an ordinary door and said, "Alohomora!"

Nothing happened.

"Sirius's knife!" said Harry. He pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall. The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom, withdrew it and then flung his shoulder again at the door. It remained as firmly shut as ever.

What was more, when Harry looked down at the knife, he saw the blade had melted.

"Right, we're leaving that room," said Hermione decisively.

"But what if that's the one?" said Ron, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing.

"It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream," said Hermione, marking the door with another fiery cross as Harry replaced the now-useless handle of Sirius's knife in his pocket.

"You know what could be in there?" said Luna eagerly, as the wall started to spin yet again.

"Something blibbering, no doubt," said Hermione under her breath and Neville gave a nervous little laugh.

The wall slid to a halt and Harry, with a feeling of increasing desperation, pushed the next door open.

"This is it!"

He knew it at once by the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. As Harry's eyes became accustomed to the brilliant glare, he saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal ball jar that stood at the far end of the room.

"This way!" he led the way down the narrow space between the lines of desks, heading for the source of the light, the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on a desk and appeared to be full of a billowing, glittering wind.

"Oh, look!" said Ginny, as they drew nearer, pointing at the very heart of the bell jar.

Drifting along in the sparkling current inside was a tiny, jewel-bright egg. As it rose in the jar, it cracked open and a hummingbird emerged, which was carried to the very top of the jar, but as it fell on the draught its feathers became bedraggled and damp again, and by the time it had been borne back to the bottom of the jar it had been enclosed once more in its egg.

"Keep going!" said Harry sharply, because Ginny showed signs of wanting to stop and watch the egg's progress back into a bird.

"You dawdled enough by that old arch!" she said crossly, but followed him past the bell jar to the only door behind it.

"This is it," Harry said again, and his heart was now pumping so hard and fast he felt it must interfere with his speech, "it's through here -"

He glanced around at them all; they had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious. He looked back at the door and pushed. It swung open.

They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle-brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold.

Harry edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves.

He could not hear anything or see the slightest sign of movement.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," whispered Hermione.

"Yeah," breathed Harry, looking up at the end of the closest row. Beneath the branch of blue glowing candles protruding from it glimmered the silver figure fifty-three.

"We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. "Yes… that's fifty-four…"

"Keep your wands ready," Harry said softly.

They crept forward, glancing behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the further ends of which were in near-total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelves. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown light bulbs.

They passed row eighty-four… eighty-five… Harry was listening hard for the slightest sound of movement.

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry, whose mouth had become slightly dry. "You can't see properly from here."

And he led them between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed…

"He should be near here," whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view on the darkened floor. "Anywhere here… really close…"

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively, but he did not want to respond. His mouth was very dry.

"Somewhere about… here…" he said.

They had reached the end of the row and emerged into more dim candlelight. There was nobody there. All was echoing, dusty silence.

"He might be…" Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the next alley. "Or maybe…" He hurried to look down the one beyond that.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"What?" he snarled.

"I… I don't think Sirius is here."

Nobody spoke.

He ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Empty aisle after empty aisle flickered past. He ran the other way, back past his staring companions. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

"Harry?" Ron called.

"What?"

"Have you seen this?" said Ron,

"What?" said Harry, but eagerly this.

He strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, but found nothing except Ron staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelf.

"What?" Harry repeated glumly.

"It's — it's got your name on," said Ron.

Harry moved a little closer. Ron was pointing at one of the small glass spheres that glowed with a dull inner light, though it was very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years.

"My name?" said Harry blankly.

He stepped forwards. Not as tall as Ron, he had to crane his neck to read the yellowish label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that:

S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.

Dark Lord and (?)Harry Potter

Harry stared at it.

"What is it?" Ron asked, sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing down here?"

He glanced along at the other labels on that stretch of shelf.

"I'm not here," he said, sounding perplexed. "None of the rest of us are here."

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply, as he stretched out his hand.

"Why not?" he said. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?"

"Don't, Harry," said Neville suddenly. Harry looked at him. Neville's round face was shining slightly with sweat. He looked as though he could not take much more suspense.

"It's got my name on," said Harry.

And feeling slightly reckless, he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface. He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not. On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours, as though the glow of light within was warming it. Expecting, even hoping, that something dramatic was going to happen, something exciting that might make their long and dangerous journey worthwhile after all, Harry lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it.

Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust.

And then, from right behind them, a drawling voice spoke.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts; Ginny gave a gasp of horror.

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up.

They were trapped, and outnumbered two to one.

"To me," said Malfoy yet again.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry said.

"Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Harry's left said triumphantly, "The Dark Lord always knows!"

"Always," echoed Malfoy softly. "Now, give me the prophecy Potter."

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"I want to know where Sirius is!" mimicked the woman to his left.

She and her fellow Death Eaters had closed in so that they were mere feet away from Harry and the others, the light from their wands dazzling Harry's eyes.

"You've got him," said Harry, ignoring the rising panic in his chest, the dread he had been fightingsince they had first entered the ninety-seventh row. "He's here. I know he is."

"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo," said the woman in a horrible, mock baby voice.

"Bellatrix," Remus growled.

Harry felt Ron stir beside him.

"Don't do anything," Harry muttered. "Not yet -"

The woman who had mimicked him let out a raucous scream of laughter.

"You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," said Malfoy softly. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."

"I know Sirius is here," said Harry. "I know you've got him!"

More of the Death Eaters laughed, though the woman laughed loudest of all.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," said Malfoy. "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."

"Go on, then," said Harry, raising his own wand to chest height. As he did so, the five wands of Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna rose on either side of him.

But the Death Eaters did not strike.

"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," said Malfoy coolly.

It was Harry's turn to laugh.

"Yeah, right!" he said. "I give you this - prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the female Death Eater shrieked: "Accio proph—"

Harry was just ready for her: he shouted "Protego!" before she had finished her spell, and though the glass sphere slipped to the tips of his fingers he managed to cling on to it.

"Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter," she said, her mad eyes staring through the slits in her hood. "Very well, then -"

"I TOLD YOU, NO!" Lucius Malfoy roared at the woman. "If you smash it -!"

The woman stepped forward, away from her fellows, and pulled off her hood. Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making it gaunt and skull-like, but it was alive with a feverish, fanatical glow.

"You need more persuasion?" she said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Very well - take the smallest one," she ordered the Death Eaters beside her. "Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it."

Harry felt the others close in around Ginny; he stepped sideways so that he was right in front of her, the prophecy held up to his chest.

"I'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us," he told Bellatrix. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?"

She did not move; she merely stared at him, the tip of her tongue moistening her thin mouth.

"So," said Harry, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?"

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses.

"You dare speak his name?" whispered Bellatrix.

"Yeah," said Harry, maintaining his tight grip on the glass ball, expecting another attempt to bewitch it from him. "Yeah, I've got no problem with saying Vol—"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare -"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" said Harry recklessly.

Hermione gave a little moan in his ear. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle - or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?"

_"STUPEF—"_

"NO!"

A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it; his spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered.

Two figures, pearly-white as ghosts, fluid as smoke, unfurled themselves from the fragments of broken glass upon the floor and each began to speak; their voices vied with each other, so that only fragments of what they were saying could be heard over Malfoy and Bellatrix's shouts.

"…at the solstice will come a new…" said the figure of an old, bearded man.

"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"He dared - he dares -" shrieked Bellatrix incoherently, "he stands there - filthy half-blood -"

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bawled Malfoy.

"… and none will come after…" said the figure of a young woman.

The two figures that had burst from the shattered spheres had melted into thin air. Nothing remained of them or their erstwhile homes but fragments of glass upon the floor. They had, however, given Harry an idea. The problem was going to be conveying it to the others.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," he said, playing for time. He moved his foot slowly sideways, feeling around for someone else's.

"Do not play games with us, Potter," said Malfoy.

"I'm not playing games," said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on his wandering foot. And then he found someone's toes and pressed down upon them. A sharp intake of breath behind him told him they were Hermione's.

"What?" she whispered.

"Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Malfoy sneered.

"I - what?" said Harry. And for a moment he quite forgot his plan. "What about my scar?"

"What?" whispered Hermione more urgently behind him.

"Can this be?" said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under cover of their laughter, Harry hissed to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible, "Smash shelves -"

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeated. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why -"

"- when I say now-"

"- you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording…"

"Did he?" said Harry. Behind him he felt rather than heard Hermione passing his message to the others and he sought to keep talking, to distract the Death Eaters. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"

"Why?" Malfoy sounded incredulously delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."

"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you… haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"

Harry stared into the slatted eye-holes through which Malfoy's grey eyes were gleaming.

"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" he said quietly, gazing at Lucius Malfoy, his fingers tightening over the warm glass sphere in his hand. It was hardly larger than a Snitch and still gritty with dust. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"

"Get it himself?" shrieked Bellatrix, over a cackle of mad laughter. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"

"So, he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" said Harry. "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it - and Bode?"

"Very good, Potter, very good…" said Malfoy slowly. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell—"

"NOW!" yelled Harry.

Five different voices behind him bellowed, "REDUCTO!" Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit; the towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor -

"RUN!" Harry yelled, as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to fall from above. He seized a handful of Hermione's robes and dragged her forwards, holding one arm over his head as chunks of shelf and shards of glass thundered down upon them. A Death Eater lunged forwards through the cloud of dust and Harry elbowed him hard in the masked face; they were all yelling, there were cries of pain, and thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves, weirdly echoing fragments of the Seers unleashed from their spheres - Harry found the way ahead clear and saw Ron, Ginny and Luna sprint past him, their arms over their heads; something heavy struck him on the side of the face but he merely ducked his head and sprinted onwards; a hand caught him by the shoulder; he heard Hermione shout, _"Stupefy!"_ The hand released him at once –

They were at the end of row ninety-seven; Harry turned right and began to sprint in earnest; he could hear footsteps right behind him and Hermione's voice urging Neville on; straight ahead, the door through which they had come was ajar; Harry could see the glittering light of the bell jar; he pelted through the doorway, the prophecy still clutched tight and safe in his hand, and waited for the others to hurtle over the threshold before slamming the door behind them -

_"Colloportus!"_ gasped Hermione and the door sealed itself with an odd squelching noise.

"Where - where are the others?" gasped Harry.

He had thought Ron, Luna and Ginny were ahead of them, that they would be waiting in this room, but there was nobody there.

"You split up!" Fleur and Bill yelled sharing a scared glance.

"They must have gone the wrong way!" whispered Hermione, terror in her face.

"Listen!" whispered Neville.

Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door they had just sealed; Harry put his ear close to the door to listen and heard Lucius Malfoy roar, "Leave Nott, leave him, I say — his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary – Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left; Crabbe, Rabastan, go right -Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead - Macnair and Avery, through here - Rookwood, over there - Mulciber, come with me!"

"What do we do?" Hermione asked Harry, trembling from head to foot.

"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," said Harry. "Let's get away from this door." They ran as quietly as they could, past the shimmering bell jar where the tiny egg was hatching and unhatching, towards the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when Harry heard something large and heavy collide with the door Hermione had charmed shut.

"Stand aside!" said a rough voice. _"Alohomora!"_

As the door flew open, Harry, Hermione and Neville dived under desks. They could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly.

"They might've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.

"Check under the desks," said another.

Harry saw the knees of the Death Eaters bend; poking his wand out from under the desk, he shouted, _"STUPEFY!"_

A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backwards into a grandfather clock and knocked it over; the second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and was pointing his own wand at Hermione, who was crawling out from under the desk to get a better aim.

_"Avada –"_

Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry. Neville overturned a desk in his anxiety to help; and pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair, he cried:

_"EXPELLIARMUS!"_

Both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back towards the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them, the Death Eater in front, Harry hot on his heels, and Neville bringing up the rear, plainly horror-struck by what he had done.

"Get out of the way, Harry!" yelled Neville, clearly determined to repair the damage.

Harry flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted:

_"STUPEFY!"_

The jet of red light had flown right over the Death Eater's shoulder and hit a glass-fronted cabinet on the wall full of variously shaped hour-glasses; the cabinet fell to the floor and burst apart, glass flying everywhere, sprang back up on to the wall, fully mended, then fell down again, and shattered -

The Death Eater had snatched up his wand, which lay on the floor beside the glittering bell jar.

Harry ducked down behind another desk as the man turned; his mask had slipped so that he couldn't see. He ripped it off with his free hand and shouted: "STUP—"

_"STUPEFY!"_ screamed Hermione, who had just caught up with them. The jet of red light hit the Death Eater in the middle of his chest: he froze, his arm still raised, his wand fell to the floor with a clatter and he collapsed backwards towards the bell jar. Harry expected to hear a dunk, for the man to hit solid glass and slide off the jar on to the floor, but instead, his head sank through the surface of the bell jar as though it were nothing but a soap bubble and he came to rest, sprawled on his back on the table, with his head lying inside the jar full of glittering wind.

_"Accio wand!"_ cried Hermione. Harry's wand flew from a dark corner into her hand and she threw it to him.

"Thanks," he said. "Right, let's get out of —"

"Look out!" said Neville, horrified. He was staring at the Death Eater's head in the bell jar.

All three of them raised their wands again, but none of them struck: they were all gazing, open-mouthed, appalled, at what was happening to the man's head.

It was shrinking very fast, growing balder and balder, the black hair and stubble retracting into his skull; his cheeks becoming smooth, his skull round and covered with a peach like fuzz…

A baby's head now sat grotesquely on top of the thick, muscled neck of the Death Eater as he struggled to get up again; but even as they watched, their mouths open, the head began to swell to its previous proportions again; thick black hair was sprouting from the pate and chin…

"It's Time," said Hermione in an awestruck voice. "Time…"

The Death Eater shook his ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together it began to shrink back to babyhood once more…

There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream.

"RON?" Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. "GINNY? LUNA?"

"Harry!" Hermione screamed.

The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who had ducked. Harry raised his wand but to his amazement Hermione seized his arm.

"You can't hurt a baby!"

There was no time to argue the point; Harry could hear more footsteps growing louder from the Hall of Prophecy and knew, too late, that he ought not to have shouted and given away their position.

"Come on!" he said, and leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them they took off for the door that stood open at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway.

They had run halfway towards it when Harry saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room towards them; veering left, he burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them.

_"Collo—" _began Hermione, but before she could complete the spell the door had burst open and the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside.

With a cry of triumph, both yelled:

_"IMPEDIMENTA!"_

Harry, Hermione and Neville were all knocked backwards off their feet; Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view; Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him, tiny lights burst in front of his eyes and for a moment he was too dizzy and bewildered to react.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry. "IN AN OFFICE OFF—"

_"Silencio!"_ cried Hermione and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out. He was thrust aside by his fellow Death Eater.

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_ shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he feel forwards, face down on to the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move.

"Well done, Ha—"

But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right across Hermione's chest. She gave a tiny "Oh!" as though of surprise and crumpled on to the floor, where she lay motionless.

"HERMIONE!"

Harry fell to his knees beside her as Neville crawled rapidly towards her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him. The Death Eater kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged - his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face. Neville gave a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Harry twisted around, his own wand held high, and saw that the Death Eater had ripped off his mask and was pointing his wand directly at Harry, who recognized the long, pale, twisted face from the Daily Prophet: Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who had murdered the Prewetts.

Dolohov grinned. With his free hand, he pointed from the prophecy still clutched in Harry's hand, to himself, then at Hermione. Though he could no longer speak, his meaning could not have been clearer. Give me the prophecy, or you get the same as her…

"Like you won't kill us all anyway, the moment I hand it over!" said Harry.

A whine of panic inside his head was preventing him thinking properly: he had one hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Whaddever you do, Harry," said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, "don'd gib it to him!"

Then there was a crash outside the door and Dolohov looked over his shoulder - the baby-headed Death Eater had appeared in the doorway, his head bawling, his great fists still flailing uncontrollably at everything around him. Harry seized his chance:

_"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"_

The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it and he toppled forwards across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch.

"Hermione," Harry said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. "Hermione, wake up…"

"Whad did he do to her?" said Neville, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose.

"I dunno…"

Neville groped for Hermione's wrist.

"Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is."

"She's alive?"

"Yeah, I dink so."

There was a pause in which Harry listened hard for the sound of more footsteps, but all he could hear were the whimpers and blunderings of the baby-headed Death Eater in the next room.

"Neville, we're not far from the exit," Harry whispered, "we're right next to that circular room… if we can just get you across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift… then you could find someone… raise the alarm…"

"And whad are you going do do?" said Neville, mopping his bleeding nose with his sleeve and frowning at Harry.

"I've got to find the others," said Harry.

"Well, I'b going do find dem wid you," said Neville firmly.

"But Hermione —"

"We'll dake her wid us," said Neville firmly. "I'll carry her — you're bedder at fighding dem dan I ab -"

He stood up and seized one of Hermione's arms, glaring at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and helped hoist Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders.

"Wait," said Harry, snatching up Hermione's wand from the floor and shoving it into Neville's hand, "you'd better take this."

Neville kicked aside the broken fragments of his own wand as they walked slowly towards the door.

"My gran's going do kill be," said Neville thickly, blood spattering from his nose as he spoke, "dat was by dad's old wand."

Harry stuck his head out of the door and looked around cautiously. The baby-headed Death Eater was screaming and banging into things, toppling grandfather clocks and overturning desks, bawling and confused, while the glass-fronted cabinet that Harry now suspected had contained Time-Turners continued to fall, shatter and repair itself on the wall behind them.

"He's never going to notice us," he whispered. "C'mon… keep close behind me…"

They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway, which now seemed completely deserted. They walked a few steps forwards, Neville tottering slightly due to Hermione's weight; the door of the Time Room swung shut behind them and the walls began to rotate once more. The recent blow on the back of Harry's head seemed to have unsteadied him; he narrowed his eyes, swaying slightly, until the walls stopped moving again. With a sinking heart, Harry saw that Hermione's fiery crosses had faded from the doors.

"So which way d'you reck—?"

But before they could make a decision as to which way to try, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it.

"Ron!" croaked Harry, dashing towards them. "Ginny - are you all -?"

"Harry," said Ron, giggling weakly, lurching forwards, seizing the front of Harry's robes and gazing at him with unfocused eyes, "there you are… ha ha ha… you look funny, Harry… you're all messed up…"

Ron's face was very white and something dark was trickling from the corner of his mouth. Next moment his knees had given way, but he still clutched the front of Harry's robes, so that Harry was pulled into a kind of bow.

"Ginny?" Harry said fearfully. "What happened?"

But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle.

"I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack," whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt. "Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets; it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark -"

"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" said Ron, still giggling feebly. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus - ha ha ha -"

"Seriously, what is wrong with him?" Dudley asked.

A bubble of blood grew at the corner of Ron's mouth and burst.

"- anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but…" Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed.

"And what about Ron?" said Harry fearfully, as Ron continued to giggle, still hanging off the front of Harry's robes.

"I don't know what they hit him with," said Luna sadly, "but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all."

"Harry," said Ron, pulling Harry's ear down to his mouth and still giggling weakly, "you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony… Loony Lovegood… ha ha ha "

"We've got to get out of here," said Harry firmly. "Luna, can you help Ginny?"

"Yes," said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginny's waist and pulling her up.

"It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!" said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support.

Harry pulled Ron's arm over his shoulder. He looked around: they had a one in twelve chance of getting the exit right first time -

He heaved Ron towards a door; they were within a few feet of it when another door across the hall burst open and three Death Eaters sped in, led by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"There they are!" she shrieked.

Stunning Spells shot across the room: Harry smashed his way through the door ahead, flung Ron unceremoniously from him and ducked back to help Neville in with Hermione: they were all over the threshold just in time to slam the door against Bellatrix.

_"Colloportus!"_ shouted Harry, and he heard three bodies slam into the door on the other side.

"It doesn't matter!" said a man's voice. "There are other ways in - WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!"

Harry span around; they were back in the Brain Room and, sure enough, there were doors all around the walls. He could hear footsteps in the hall behind them as more Death Eaters came running to join the first.

"Luna - Neville - help me!"

The three of them tore around the room, sealing the doors as they went; Harry crashed into a table and rolled over the top of it in his haste to reach the next door:

_"Colloportus!"_

There were footsteps running along behind the doors, every now and then another heavy body would launch itself against one, so it creaked and shuddered; Luna and Neville were bewitching the doors along the opposite wall - then, as Harry reached the very top of the room, he heard Luna cry:

"_Collo_—aaaaaaaaargh…"

He turned in time to see her flying through the air; five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time; Luna hit a desk, slid over its surface and on to the floor on the other side where she lay sprawled, as still as Hermione.

"Get Potter!" shrieked Bellatrix, and she ran at him; he dodged her and sprinted back up the room; he was safe as long as they thought they might hit the prophecy -

"Hey!" said Ron, who had staggered to his feet and was now tottering drunkenly towards Harry, giggling. "Hey Harry, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird, Harry?"

"Ron, get out of the way, get down -"

But Ron had already pointed his wand at the tank.

"Honest, Harry, they're brains - look -_Accio brain!"_

The scene seemed momentarily frozen. Harry, Ginny and Neville and each of the Death Eaters turned in spite of themselves to watch the top of the tank as a brain burst from the green liquid like a leaping fish: for a moment it seemed suspended in midair, then it soared towards Ron, spinning as it came, and what looked like ribbons of moving images flew from it, unravelling like rolls of film-

"Ha ha ha, Harry, look at it -" said Ron, watching it disgorge its gaudy innards, "Harry come and touch it; bet it's weird -"

"RON, NO!"

Harry did not know what would happen if Ron touched the tentacles of thought now flying behind the brain, but he was sure it would not be anything good. He darted forwards but Ron had already caught the brain in his outstretched hands.

The moment they made contact with his skin, the tentacles began wrapping themselves around Ron's arms like ropes.

"Harry, look what's happen— No - no - I don't like it - no, stop - stop -"

But the thin ribbons were spinning around Ron's chest now; he tugged and tore at them as the brain was pulled tight against him like an octopus's body.

_"Diffindo!"_ yelled Harry, trying to sever the feelers wrapping themselves tightly around Ron before his eyes, but they would not break. Ron fell over, still thrashing against his bonds.

"Harry, it'll suffocate him!" screamed Ginny, immobilized by her broken ankle on the floor – then a jet of red light flew from one of the Death Eater's wands and hit her squarely in the face. She keeled over sideways and lay there unconscious.

_"STUBEFY!"_ shouted Neville, wheeling around and waving Hermione's wand at the oncoming Death Eaters, _"STUBEFY, STUBEFY!"_

But nothing happened.

One of the Death Eaters shot their own Stunning Spell at Neville; it missed him by inches. Harry and Neville were now the only two left fighting the five Death Eaters, two of whom sent off streams of silver light like arrows which missed but left craters in the wall behind them. Harry ran for it as Bellatrix Lestrange raced right at him: holding the prophecy high above his head, he sprinted back up the room; all he could think of doing was to draw the Death Eaters away from the others.

It seemed to have worked; they streaked after him, knocking chairs and tables flying but not daring to bewitch him in case they hurt the prophecy, and he dashed through the only door still open, the one through which the Death Eaters themselves had come; inwardly praying that Neville would stay with Ron and find some way of releasing him. He ran a few feet into the new room and felt the floor vanish -

He was falling down steep stone step after steep stone step, bouncing on every tier until at last, with a crash that knocked all the breath out of his body, he landed flat on his back in the sunken pit where the stone archway stood on its dais.

The whole room was ringing with the Death Eaters' laughter: he looked up and saw the five who had been in the Brain Room descending towards him, while as many more emerged through other doorways and began leaping from bench to bench towards him. Harry got to his feet though his legs were trembling so badly they barely supported him: the prophecy was still miraculously unbroken in his left hand, his wand clutched tightly in his right. He backed away, looking around, trying to keep all the Death Eaters within his sight. The back of his legs hit something solid: he had reached the dais where the archway stood. He climbed backwards onto it.

The Death Eaters all halted, gazing at him. Some were panting as hard as he was. One was bleeding badly; Dolohov, freed of the Body-Bind Curse, was leering, his wand pointing straight at Harry's face.

"Potter, your race is run," drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask, "now hand me the prophecy like a good boy."

"Let - let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately.

A few of the Death Eaters laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. "You see, there are ten of us and only one of you… or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"

"He's dot alone!" shouted a voice from above them. "He's still god be!"

Harry's heart sank: Neville was scrambling down the stone benches towards them, Hermione's wand held fast in his trembling hand.

"Neville - no - go back to Ron -"

_"STUBEFY!"_ Neville shouted again, pointing his wand at each Death Eater in turn. "STUBEFY! STUBE—"

One of the largest Death Eaters seized Neville from behind, pinioning his arms to his sides. He struggled and kicked; several of the Death Eaters laughed.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it" sneered Lucius Malfoy. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause… your death will not come as a great shock."

"Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy,"

"I DOE YOU HAB!" roared Neville, and he fought so hard against his captors encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, "Someone Stun him!"

"No, no, no," said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents… unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy."

"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!" roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. "DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!"

Bellatrix raised her wand. _"Crucio!"_

Neville screamed, his legs drawn up to his chest so that the Death Eater holding him was momentarily holding him off the ground. The Death Eater dropped him and he fell to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony.

"That was just a taster!" said Bellatrix, raising her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and he lay sobbing at her feet. She turned and gazed up at Harry. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!"

Harry did not have to think; there was no choice. The prophecy was hot with the heat of him clutching hand as he held it out. Malfoy jumped forwards to take it.

Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Kingsley.

"Now, I'm there," Sirius said but that just caused Remus, Dora and Harry to flinch.

Malfoy turned, and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him.

Harry did not wait to see whether it had made contact, but dived off the dais out of the way. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step towards the sunken floor. Through the darting bodies, the flashes of light, Harry could see Neville crawling along.

He dodged another jet of red light and flung himself flat on the ground to reach Neville.

"Are you okay?" he yelled, as another spell soared inches over their heads.

"Yes," said Neville, trying to pull himself up.

"And Ron?"

"I dink he's all righd - he was still fighding de brain when I lefd -"

The stone floor between them exploded as a spell hit it, leaving a crater right where Neville's hand had been only seconds before; both scrambled away from the spot, then a thick arm came out of nowhere, seized Harry around the neck and pulled him upright, so that his toes were barely touching the floor.

"Give it to me," growled a voice in his ear, "give me the prophecy -"

The man was pressing so tightly on Harry's windpipe that he could not breathe. Through watering eyes he saw Sirius duelling with a Death Eater some ten feet away; Kingsley was fighting two at once; Tonks, still halfway up the tiered seats, was firing spells down at Bellatrix - nobody seemed to realize that Harry was dying. He turned his wand backwards towards the man's side, but had no breath to utter an incantation, and the man's free hand was groping towards the hand in which Harry was grasping the prophecy -

"AARGH!"

Neville had come lunging out of nowhere; unable to articulate a spell, he had jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of the Death Eaters mask.

The man relinquished Harry at once with a howl of pain. Harry whirled around to face him and gasped: _"STUPEFY!"_

The Death Eater keeled over backwards and his mask slipped off: it was Macnair, Buckbeak's would-be killer, one of his eyes now swollen and bloodshot.

"Thanks!" Harry said to Neville, pulling him aside as Sirius and his Death Eater lurched past, duelling so fiercely that their wands were blurs; then Harry's foot made contact with something round and hard and he slipped. For a moment he thought he had dropped the prophecy, but then he saw Moody's magical eye spinning away across the floor.

Its owner was lying on his side, bleeding from the head, and his attacker was now bearing down upon Harry and Neville: Dolohov, his long pale face twisted with glee.

_"Tarantallegra!"_ he shouted, his wand pointing at Neville, whose legs went immediately into a kind of frenzied tap-dance, unbalancing him and causing him to fall to the floor again.

"Now, Potter -"

He made the same slashing movement with his wand that he had used on Hermione just as Harry yelled, _"Protego!"_

Harry felt something streak across his face like a blunt knife; the force of it knocked him sideways and he fell over Neville's jerking legs, but the Shield Charm had stopped the worst of the spell.

Dolohov raised his wand again. _"Accio proph—"_

Sirius had hurtled out of nowhere, rammed Dolohov with his shoulder and sent him flying out of the way.

The prophecy had again flown to the tips of Harry's fingers but he had managed to cling on to it. Now Sirius and Dolohov were dueling, their wands flashing like swords, sparks flying from their wand-tips - Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movement he had used on Harry and Hermione. Springing up, Harry yelled,

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_ Once again, Dolohov's arms and legs snapped together and he keeled over backwards, landing with a crash on his back.

"Nice one!" shouted Sirius, forcing Harry's head down as a pair of Stunning Spells flew towards them. "Now I want you to get out of-"

They both ducked again; a jet of green light had narrowly missed Sirius. Across the room Harry saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back towards the fray.

"Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville and run!" Sirius yelled, dashing to meet Bellatrix. Harry did not see what happened next: Kingsley swayed across his field of vision, battling with the pockmarked and no longer masked Rookwood; another jet of green light flew over Harry's head as he launched himself towards Neville -

"Can you stand?" he bellowed in Neville's ear, as Neville's legs jerked and twitched uncontrollably. "Put your arm round my neck -"

Neville did so - Harry heaved — Neville's legs were still flying in every direction, they would not support him, and then, out of nowhere, a man lunged at them: both fell backwards, Neville's legs waving wildly like an overturned beetle's, Harry with his left arm held up in the air to try to save the small glass ball from being smashed.

"The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter!" snarled Lucius Malfoy's voice in his ear, and Harry felt the tip of Malfoy's wand pressing hard between his ribs.

"No - get - off - me… Neville - catch it!"

Harry flung the prophecy across the floor, Neville spun himself around on his back and scooped the ball to his chest. Malfoy pointed the wand instead at Neville, but Harry jabbed his own wand back over his shoulder and yelled, _"Impedimenta!"_

Malfoy was blasted off his back. As Harry scrambled up again he looked around and saw Malfoy smash into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were now duelling. Malfoy aimed his wand at Harry and Neville again, but before he could draw breath to strike, Lupin had jumped between them.

"Harry, round up the others and GO!"

Harry seized Neville by the shoulder of his robes and lifted him bodily on to the first tier of stone steps; Neville's legs twitched and jerked and would not support his weight; Harry heaved again with all the strength he possessed and they climbed another step -

A spell hit the stone bench at Harry's heel; it crumbled away and he fell back to the step below.

Neville sank to the ground, his legs still jerking and thrashing, and he thrust the prophecy into his pocket.

"Come on!" said Harry desperately, hauling at Neville's robes. "Just try and push with your legs"

He gave another stupendous heave and Neville's robes tore all along the left seam - the small spun-glass ball dropped from his pocket and, before either of them could catch it, one of Neville's floundering feet kicked it: it flew some ten feet to their right and smashed on the step beneath them. As both of them stared at the place where it had broken, appalled at what had happened, a pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air, unnoticed by any but them. Harry could see its mouth moving, but in all the crashes and screams and yells surrounding them, not one word of the prophecy could he hear. The figure stopped speaking and dissolved into nothingness.

"Harry, I'b sorry!" cried Neville, his face anguished as his legs continued to flounder. "I'b so sorry, Harry, I didn'd bean do -"

"It doesn't matter!" Harry shouted. "Just try and stand, let's get out of -"

"Zat's the important zing," Fleur agreed

"Dubbledore!" said Neville, his sweaty face suddenly transported, staring over Harry's shoulder.

"What?"

"DUBBLEDORE!"

Harry turned to look where Neville was staring. Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious.

Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body - they were saved. Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thoughts of leaving.

Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realized he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line -

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.

Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place.

Harry heard Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream,

But Sirius did not reappear.

"SIRIUS!" Harry yelled. "SIRIUS!"

He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps.

But as he reached the ground and sprinted towards the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back.

"There's nothing you can do, Harry -"

"Get him, save him, he's only just gone through!"

"- it's too late, Harry."

"We can still reach him -" Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go…

"There's nothing you can do, Harry… nothing… he's gone."

"He hasn't gone!" Harry yelled.

He did not believe it; he would not believe it; still he fought Lupin with every bit of strength he had. Lupin did not understand; people hid behind that curtain; Harry had heard them whispering the first time he had entered the room. Sirius was hiding, simply lurking out of sight.

"SIRIUS!" he bellowed. "SIRIUS!"

"He can't come back, Harry," said Lupin, his voice breaking as he struggled to contain Harry. "He can't come back, because he's d-"

"HE - IS - NOT - DEAD!" roared Harry. "SIRIUS!"

There was movement going on around them, pointless bustling, the flashes of more spells.

Lupin dragged Harry away from the dais. Harry, still staring at the archway, was angry at Sirius now for keeping him waiting.

But some part of him realized, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before… Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him… if Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back… that he really was.

Harry was edging around the fountain on the other side when Bellatrix screamed, "Crucio!" and he was forced to duck down again as the centaur's arm, holding its bow, span off and landed with a crash on the floor a short distance from the golden wizard's head.

"I killed Sirius Black! She's going to get me! You're going to get me!" Bellatrix said while she ran.

_"CRUCIO!"_ she yelled and got her on the ground.

"Potter, you cannot win against me!" she cried.

He could hear her moving to the right, trying to get a clear shot of him. He backed around the statue away from her, crouching behind the centaur's legs, his head level with the house-elf's.

"I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant. I learned the Dark Arts from him, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy, can never hope to compete"

_"Stupefy!"_ yelled Harry. He had edged right around to where the goblin stood beaming up at the now headless wizard and taken aim at her back as she peered around the fountain. She reacted so fast he barely had time to duck.

_"Protego!"_

The jet of red light, his own Stunning Spell, bounced back at him. Harry scrambled back behind the fountain and one of the goblin's ears went flying across the room.

"Potter, I'm going to give you one chance!" shouted Bellatrix. "Give me the prophecy - roll it out towards me now - and I may spare your life!"

"Well, you're going to have to kill me, because it's gone!" Harry roared "And he knows!'" said Harry, with a mad laugh to match Bellatrix's own. "Your dear old mate Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be happy with you, is he?"

"What? What do you mean?" she cried, and for the first time there was fear in her voice.

"The prophecy smashed when I was trying to get Neville up the steps! What do you think Voldemort'll say about that, then?"

"LIAR!" she shrieked, but he could hear the terror behind the anger now. "YOU'VE GOT IT, POTTER, AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!"

Harry laughed again because he knew it would incense her. He waved his empty hand from behind the one-eared goblin and withdrew it quickly as she sent another jet of green light flying at him.

"Nothing there!" he shouted. "Nothing to summon! It smashed and nobody heard what it said, tell your boss that!"

"No!" she screamed. "It isn't true, you're lying! MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED - DO NOT PUNISH ME"

"Don't waste your breath!" yelled Harry, his eyes screwed up against the pain in his scar, now more terrible than ever. "He can't hear you from here!"

"Can't I, Potter?" said a high, cold voice.

Harry opened his eyes.

Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring… Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, quite unable to move.

"So, you smashed my prophecy?" said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. "No, Bella, he is not lying… I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind… months of preparation, months of effort… and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again"

"Master, I am sorry I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!" sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he paced slowly nearer

"Master, you should know"

"Be quiet, Bella," said Voldemort dangerously. "I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your sniveling apologies?"

"But Master - he is here - he is below"

Voldemort paid no attention.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Potter," he said quietly. "You have irked me too often, for too long. _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry had not even opened his mouth to resist; his mind was blank, his wand pointing uselessly at the floor.

But the headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Harry.

"What -?" cried Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, "Dumbledore!"

Harry looked behind him, his heart pounding. Dumbledore was standing in front of the golden gates.

Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand towards the remnants of the fountain.

The other statues sprang to life. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor.

Meanwhile, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled towards the fireplaces set along the wall and the one-armed centaur galloped at Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The headless statue thrust Harry backwards, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both.

"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," said Dumbledore calmly. "The Aurors are on their way"

"By which time I shall be gone, and you will be dead!" spat Voldemort.

He sent another killing curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame.

Dumbledore flicked his own wand: the force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Harry, though shielded by his golden guard, felt his hair stand on end as it passed and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gong-like note reverberated from it - an oddly chilling sound.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. "Above such brutality, are you?"

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk towards Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit"

"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" snarled Voldemort.

"You are quite wrong," said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks.

Harry felt scared to see him walking along, undefended, shieldless; he wanted to cry out a warning, but his headless guard kept shunting him backwards towards the wall, blocking his every attempt to get out from behind it.

"Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness"

Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed centaur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold on Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore.

Voldemort vanished; the snake reared from the floor, ready to strike.

There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood.

"Look out!" Harry yelled.

But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore from Voldemort's wand and the snake had struck.

Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and swallowed the jet of green light whole: he burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless.

At the same moment, Dumbledore brandished his wand in one long, fluid movement - the snake, which had been an instant from sinking its fangs into him, flew high into the air and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke; and the water in the pool rose up and covered Voldemort like a cocoon of molten glass.

For a few seconds Voldemort was visible only as a dark, rippling, faceless figure, shimmering and indistinct upon the plinth, clearly struggling to throw off the suffocating mass.

Then he was gone and the water fell with a crash back into its pool, slopping wildly over the sides, drenching the polished floor.

"MASTER!" screamed Bellatrix.

Sure it was over, sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed: "Stay where you are, Harry!"

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened.

Harry could not see why: the hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under the witch statue, and the baby phoenix Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor

He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creature's began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape.

And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth, so that in his agony he felt his jaw move "Kill me now, Dumbledore…"

Blinded and dying, every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again…

"If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy…"

Let the pain stop, thought Harry… let him kill us… end it, Dumbledore… death is nothing compared to this…

And I'll see Sirius again…

the creature's coils loosened, the pain was gone; Harry was lying face down on the floor, his glasses gone, shivering as though he lay upon ice, not wood…

And there were voices echoing through the hall, more voices than there should have been…

Harry opened his eyes, saw his glasses lying by the heel of the headless statue that had been guarding him, but which now lay flat on its back, cracked and immobile. He put them on and raised his head a little to find Dumbledore's crooked nose inches from his own.

"Are you all right, Harry?"

"Yes," said Harry, shaking so violently he could not hold his head up properly. "Yeah, I'm - where's Voldemort, where - who are all these - what's –"

The Atrium was full of people; the floor was reflecting the emerald green flames that had burst into life in all the fireplaces along one wall; and streams of witches and wizards were emerging from them. As Dumbledore pulled him back to his feet, Harry saw the tiny gold statues of the house-elf and the goblin, leading a stunned-looking Cornelius Fudge forward.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry's feet hit solid ground; his knees buckled a little and the golden wizard's head fell with are sounding dunk to the floor. He looked around and saw that he had arrived in Dumbledore's office.

Everything seemed to have repaired itself during the Headmaster's absence. The delicate silver instruments stood once more on the spindle-legged tables, puffing and whirring serenely the portraits of the headmasters and headmistresses were snoozing in their frames, heads lolling back in armchairs or against the edge of the picture. Harry looked through the window. There was a cool line of pale green along the horizon: dawn was approaching.

The silence and the stillness, broken only by the occasional grunt or snuffle of a sleeping portrait, was unbearable to him. He walked around the quiet, beautiful office, breathing quickly, trying not to think. But he had to think… there was no escape…

It was his fault Sirius had died; it was all his fault.

If he, Harry, had not been stupid enough to fall for Voldemort's trick, if he had not been so convinced that what he had seen in his dream was real, if he had only opened his mind to the possibility that Voldemort was, as Hermione had said, banking on Harry's love of playing the hero…

It was unbearable, he would not think about it, he could not stand it… there was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished; he did not want to have to be alone with that great, silent space, he could not stand it -

A picture behind him gave a particularly loud grunting snore, and a cool voice said, "Ah… Harry Potter…"

Phineas Nigellus gave a long yawn, stretching his arms as he surveyed Harry out of shrewd, narrow eyes.

"And what brings you here in the early hours of the morning?" said Phineas eventually "This office is supposed to be barred to all but the rightful Headmaster. Or has Dumbledore sent you here? Oh, don't tell me…" He gave another shuddering yawn. "Another message for my worthless great-great-grandson?"

Harry could not speak. Phineas Nigellus did not know that Sirius was dead, but Harry could not tell him. To say it aloud would be to make it final, absolute, irretrievable.

A few more of the portraits had stirred now. Terror of being interrogated made Harry stride across the room and seize the doorknob.

It would not turn. He was shut in.

"I hope this means," said the corpulent, red-nosed wizard who hung on the wall behind the Headmaster's desk, "that Dumbledore will soon be back among us?"

Harry turned. The wizard was surveying him with great interest. Harry nodded. He tugged again on the doorknob behind his back, but it remained immovable.

"Oh good," said the wizard. "It has been very dull without him, very dull indeed."

He settled himself on the throne-like chair on which he had been painted and smiled benignly upon Harry.

"Dumbledore thinks very highly of you, as I am sure you know," he said comfortably. "Oh yes. Holds you in great esteem."

Harry could not stand this, he could not stand being himself any more… he had never felt more trapped inside his own head and body, never wished so intensely that he could be somebody; anybody, else…

The empty fireplace burst into emerald green flame, making Harry leap away from the door, staring at the man spinning inside the grate. As Dumbledore's tall form unfolded itself from the fire, the wizards and witches on the surrounding walls jerked awake, many of them giving cries of welcome.

"Thank you," said Dumbledore softly.

He did not look at Harry at first, but walked over to the perch beside the door and withdrew, from an inside pocket of his robes, the tiny, ugly, featherless Fawkes, whom he placed gently on the tray of soft ashes beneath the golden post where the full-grown Fawkes usually stood.

"Well, Harry," said Dumbledore, finally turning away from the baby bird, "you will be pleased to hear that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events.'

"Madam Pomfrey is patching everybody up," said Dumbledore. "Nymphadora Tonks may need to spend a little time in St. Mungo's, but it seems she will make a full recovery."

Harry contented himself with nodding at the carpet, which was growing lighter as the sky outside grew paler. He was sure all the portraits around the room were listening closely to every word Dumbledore spoke, wondering where Dumbledore and Harry had been, and why there had been injuries.

"I know how you're feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore very quietly.

"No, you don't," said Harry, and his voice was suddenly loud and strong.

"You see, Dumbledore?" said Phineas Nigellus slyly "Never try to understand the students. They hate it. They would much rather be tragically misunderstood, wallow in self-pity, stew in their own -"

"That's enough, Phineas," said Dumbledore.

Harry turned his back on Dumbledore and stared determinedly out of the window. He could see the Quidditch stadium in the distance. Sirius had appeared there once, disguised as the shaggy black dog, so he could watch Harry play… he had probably come to see whether Harry was as good as James had been… Harry had never asked him…

"There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore's voice. "On the contrary… the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength."

"My greatest strength, is it?" said Harry, his voice shaking as he stared out at the Quidditch stadium, no longer seeing it. "You haven't got a clue… you don't know…"

"What don't I know?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

. Harry turned around, shaking with rage.

"I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?"

"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human"

"THEN - I - DON'T - WANT - TO - BE - HUMAN!" Harry roared, and he seized the delicate silver instrument from the spindle legged table beside him and flung it across the room; it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall.

Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, and the portrait of Armando Dippet said, "Really!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANY MORE!"

He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that, too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions.

"You do care," said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. "You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."

"I - DON'T!" Harry screamed.

"Oh, yes, you do," said Dumbledore, still more calmly. "You have now lost your mother, your father, and the closest thing to a parent you have ever known. Of course you care."

"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!" Harry roared. "YOU - STANDING THERE – YOU"

He turned on his heel and ran to the door, seized the doorknob again and wrenched at it.

But the door would not open. Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "Let me out," he said. He was shaking from head to foot.

"No," said Dumbledore, simply. For a few seconds they stared at each other.

"Let me out," Harry said again.

"No," Dumbledore repeated.

"If you don't - if you keep me in here - if you don't let me"

"By all means continue destroying my possessions," said Dumbledore serenely. "I daresay I have too many."

He walked around his desk and sat down. behind it, watching Harry.

"Let me out," Harry said yet again, in a voice that was cold and almost as calm as Dumbledore's.

"Not until I have had my say," said Dumbledore.

"Do you - do you think I want to - do you think I give a - I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO SAY!" Harry roared. "I don't want to hear anything you've got to say!"

"You will," said Dumbledore steadily. "Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it."

"What are you talking -?"

"It is my fault that Sirius died," said Dumbledore clearly.

"Or should I say, almost entirely my fault - I will not be so arrogant as to claim responsibility for the whole. Sirius was a brave, clever and energetic man, and such men are not usually content to sit at home in hiding while they believe others to be in danger. Nevertheless, you should never have believed for an instant that there was any necessity for you to go to the Department of Mysteries tonight. If I had been open with you, Harry, as I should have been, you would have known a long time ago that Voldemort might try and lure you to the Department of Mysteries, and you would never have been tricked into going there tonight. And Sirius would not have had to come after you. That blame lies with me, and with me alone."

Harry was still standing with his hand on the doorknob but was unaware of it. He was gazing at Dumbledore, hardly breathing, listening yet barely understanding what he was hearing.

"Please sit down," said Dumbledore. It was not an order, it was a request.

Harry hesitated, then walked slowly across the room now littered with silver cogs and fragments of wood, and took the seat facing Dumbledore's desk.

"Am I to understand," said Phineas Nigellus slowly from Harry's left, "that my great-great-grandson - the last of the Blacks - is dead?"

"Yes, Phineas," said Dumbledore.

"I don't believe it," said Phineas brusquely.

Harry turned his head in time to see Phineas marching out of his portrait and knew that he had gone to visit his other painting in Grimmauld Place.

"Harry, I owe you an explanation," said Dumbledore. "An explanation of an old man's mistakes. For I see now that what I have done, and not done, with regard to you, bears all the hallmarks of the failings of age. Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young… and I seem to have forgotten, lately…"

The sun was rising properly now; there was a rim of dazzling orange visible over the mountains and the sky above it was colorless and bright. The light fell upon Dumbledore, upon the silver of his eyebrows and beard, upon the lines gouged deeply into his face.

"I guessed, fifteen years ago," said Dumbledore, "when I saw the scar on your forehead, what it might mean. I guessed that it might be the sign of a connection forged between you and Voldemort."

"You've told me this before, Professor," said Harry bluntly.

"Yes," said Dumbledore apologetically. "Yes, but you see - it is necessary to start with your scar. For it became apparent, shortly after you rejoined the magical world, that I was correct, and that your scar was giving you warnings when Voldemort was close to you, or else feeling powerful emotion."

"I know," said Harry wearily.

"And this ability of yours - to detect Voldemort's presence, even when he is disguised, and to know what he is feeling when his emotions are roused - has become more and more pronounced since Voldemort returned to his own body and his full powers."

Harry did not bother to nod. He knew all of this already.

"More recently" said Dumbledore, "I became concerned that Voldemort might realize that this connection between you exists. Sure enough, there came a time when you entered so far into his mind and thoughts that he sensed your presence. I am speaking, of course, of the night when you witnessed the attack on Mr. Weasley"

"Yeah, Snape told me," Harry muttered.

"Professor Snape, Harry" Dumbledore corrected him quietly.

"But did you not wonder why it was not I who explained this to you? Why I did not teach you Occlumency? Why I had not so much as looked at you for months?"

Harry looked up. He could see now that Dumbledore looked sad and tired.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled. "Yeah, I wondered."

"You see," Dumbledore continued, "I believed it could not be long before Voldemort attempted toforce his way into your mind, to manipulate and misdirect your thoughts, and I was not eager to give him more incentives to do so. I was sure that if he realized that our relationship was - or had ever been - closer than that of headmaster and pupil, he would seize his chance to use you as a means to spy on me. I feared the uses to which he would put you, the possibility that he might try and possess you. Harry, I believe I was right to think that Voldemort would have made use of you in such a way. On those rare occasions when we had close contact, I thought I saw a shadow of him stir behind your eyes…"

"Voldemort's aim in possessing you, as he demonstrated tonight, would not have been my destruction. It would have been yours. He hoped, when he possessed you briefly a short while ago, that I would sacrifice you in the hope of killing him. So you see, I have been trying, in distancing myself from you, to protect you, Harry. An old man's mistake…"

He sighed deeply. Harry was letting the words wash over him. He would have been so interested to know all this a few months ago, but now it was meaningless compared to the gaping chasm inside him that was the loss of Sirius; none of it mattered…

"Sirius told me you felt Voldemort awake inside you the very night that you had the vision of Arthur Weasley's attack. I knew at once that my worst fears were correct: Voldemort had realized he could use you. In an attempt to arm you against Voldemort's assaults on your mind, I arranged Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape."

He paused. Harry watched the sunlight, which was sliding slowly across the polished surface of Dumbledore's desk, illuminate a silver ink pot and a handsome scarlet quill. Harry could tell that the portraits all around them were awake and listening raptly to Dumbledore's explanation; he could hear the occasional rustle of robes, the slight clearing of a throat. Phineas Nigellus had still not returned…

"Professor Snape discovered," Dumbledore resumed, " that you had been dreaming about the door to the Department of Mysteries for months. Voldemort, of course, had been obsessed with the possibility of hearing the prophecy ever since he regained his body; and as he dwelled on the door, so did you, though you did not know what it meant.

"And then you saw Rockwood, who worked in the Department of Mysteries before his arrest, telling Voldemort what we had known all along - that the prophecies held in the Ministry of Magic are heavily protected. Only the people to whom they refer can lift them from the shelves without suffering madness: in this case, either Voldemort himself would have to enter the Ministry ofMagic, and risk revealing himself at last - or else you would have to take it for him. It became a matter of even greater urgency that you should master Occlumency"

"But I didn't," muttered Harry. "I didn't practice, I didn't bother, I could've stopped myself having those dreams, Hermione kept telling me to do it, if I had he'd never have been able to show me where to go, and - Sirius wouldn't - Sirius wouldn't"

"I tried to check he'd really taken Sirius, I went to Umbridge's office, I spoke to Kreacher in the fire and he said Sirius wasn't there, he said he'd gone!"

"Kreacher lied," said Dumbledore calmly.

"You are not his master, he could lie to you without even needing to punish himself. Kreacher intended you to go to the Ministry of Magic."

"He - he sent me on purpose?"

"Oh yes. Kreacher, I am afraid, has been serving more than one master for months."

"How?" said Harry blankly. "He hasn't been out of Grimmauld Place for years."

"Kreacher seized his opportunity shortly before Christmas," said Dumbledore, "when Sirius, apparently, shouted at him to 'get out'. He took Sirius at his word, and interpreted this as an order to leave the house. He went to the only Black family member for whom he had any respect left… Black's cousin Narcissa, sister of Bellatrix and wife of Lucius Malfoy"

"How do you know all this?" Harry said.

"Kreacher told me last night," said Dumbledore. "You see, when you gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning, he realized that you had had a vision of Sirius trapped in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries. He, like you, attempted to contact Sirius at once. I should explain that members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable methods of communicating than the fire in Dolores Umbridge's office Professor Snape found that Sirius was alive and safe in Grimmauld Place.

"When, however, you did not return from your trip into the Forest with Dolores Umbridge, Professor Snape grew worried that you still believed Sirius to be a captive of Lord Voldemort's. He alerted certain Order members at once."

Dumbledore heaved a great sigh and continued, "Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were at Headquarters when he made contact. All agreed to go to your aid at once. Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind, as he needed somebody to remain at Headquarters to tell me what had happened, for I was due there at any moment. In the meantime he, Professor Snape, intended to search the Forest for you.

"But Sirius did not wish to remain behind while the others went to search for you. He delegated to Kreacher the task of telling me what had happened. And so it was that when I arrived in Grimmauld Place shortly after they had all left for the Ministry, it was the elf who told me - laughing fit to burst - where Sirius had gone."

"He was laughing?" said Harry in a hollow voice.

"Oh, yes," said Dumbledore. "You see, Kreacher was not able to betray us totally. He is not Secret Keeper for the Order, he could not give the Malfoys our whereabouts, or tell them any of the Order's confidential plans that he had been forbidden to reveal. He was bound by the enchantments of his kind, which is to say that he could not disobey a direct order from his master, Sirius. But he gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable to Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it."

"Like what?" said Harry.

"Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you," said Dumbledore quietly.

"Like the fact that you were coming to regard Sirius as a mixture of father and brother. Voldemort knew already, of course, that Sirius was in the Order, and that you knew where he was - but Kreacher's information made him realize that the one person for whom you would go to any lengths to rescue was Sirius Black."

Harry's lips were cold and numb.

"So… when I asked Kreacher if Sirius was there last night…"

"The Malfoys - undoubtedly on Voldemort's instructions - had told him he must find a way of keeping Sirius out of the way once you had seen the vision of Sirius being tortured. Then, if you decided to check whether Sirius was at home or not, Kreacher would be able to pretend he was not. Kreacher injured Buckbeak the Hippogriff yesterday, and, at the moment when you made your appearance in the fire, Sirius was upstairs tending to him."

"And Kreacher told you all this… and laughed?" he croaked.

"He did not wish to tell me," said Dumbledore. "But I am a sufficiently accomplished Legilimens myself to know when I am being lied to and I - persuaded him - to tell me the full story, before I left for the Department of Mysteries."

"And," whispered Harry, his hands curled in cold fists on his knees, "and Hermione kept telling us to be nice to him"

"She was quite right, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I warned Sirius when we adopted twelve Grimmauld Place as our Headquarters that Kreacher must be treated with kindness and respect. I also told him that Kreacher could be dangerous to us. I do not think Sinus took me very seriously, or that he ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human's"

"Don't you blame - don't you - talk - about Sirius like -" Harry's breath was constricted "Kreacher's a lying - foul - he deserved –"

"Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards, Harry" said Dumbledore. "Yes, he is to be pitied. His existence has been as miserable as your friend Dobby's. He was forced to do Sirius's bidding, because Sirius was the last of the family to which he was enslaved, but he felt no true loyalty to him. And whatever Kreacher's faults, it must be admitted that Sirius did nothing to make Kreacher's lot easier"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT SIRIUS LIKE THAT!" Harry yelled.

"Yes, have some compassion, Dumbledore," Lily snapped.

"What about Snape?" Harry spat. "You're not talking about him, are you? When I told him Voldemort had Sirius he just sneered at me as usual –"

"Harry, you know Professor Snape had no choice but to pretend not to take you seriously in front of Dolores Umbridge," said Dumbledore steadily, "but as I have explained, he informed the Order as soon as possible about what you had said. It was he who deduced where you had gone when you did not return from the Forest. It was he, too, who gave Professor Umbridge fake Veritaserum when she was attempting to force you to tell her Sirius's whereabouts."

"Snape - Snape g - goaded Sirius about staying in the house - he made out Sirius was a coward"

"Sirius was much too old and clever to have allowed such feeble taunts to hurt him," said Dumbledore.

"Snape stopped giving me Occlumency lessons!" Harry snarled. "He threw me out of his office!"

"I am aware of it," said Dumbledore heavily "I have already said that it was a mistake for me not to teach you myself, though I was sure, at the time, that nothing could have been more dangerous than to open your mind even further to Voldemort while in my presence –"

"Snape made it worse, my scar always hurt worse after lessons with him" Harry remembered Ron's thoughts on the subject and plunged on "- how do you know he wasn't trying to soften me up for Voldemort, make it easier for him to get inside my –"

"I trust Severus Snape," said Dumbledore simply "But I forgot - another old man's mistake - that some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could overcome his feelings about your father - I was wrong."

"But that's okay, is it?" yelled Harry, ignoring the scandalized faces and disapproving mutterings of the portraits on the walls. "It's okay for Snape to hate my dad, but it's not okay for Sirius to hate Kreacher?"

"Sirius did not hate Kreacher," said Dumbledore.

"He regarded him as a servant unworthy of much interest or notice. Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike… the fountain we destroyed tonight told a lie. We wizards have mistreated and abused our fellows for too long, and we are now reaping our reward."

"SO SIRIUS DESERVED WHAT HE GOT, DID HE?" Harry yelled.

"I did not say that, nor will you ever hear me say it," Dumbledore replied quietly. "Sirius was not a cruel man, he was kind to house-elves in general. He had no love for Kreacher, because Kreacher was a living reminder of the home Sirius had hated."

"Yeah, he did hate it!" said Harry, his voice cracking, turning his back on Dumbledore and walking away. The sun was bright inside the room now and the eyes of all the portraits followed him as he walked, without realizing what he was doing, without seeing the office at all. "You made him stay shut up in that house and he hated it, that's why he wanted to get out last night"

"I was trying to keep Sirius alive," said Dumbledore quietly

"People don't like being locked up!" Harry said furiously, rounding on him. "You did it to me all last summer."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and buried his face in his long fingered hands. Harry watched him, but this uncharacteristic sign of exhaustion, or sadness, or whatever it was from Dumbledore, did not soften him. On the contrary, he felt even angrier that Dumbledore was showing signs of weakness. He had no business being weak when Harry wanted to rage and storm at him.

Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses.

"It is time," he said, "for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything. I ask only a little patience. You will have your chance to rage at me - to do whatever you like - when I have finished. I will not stop you."

Harry glared at him for a moment, then flung himself back into the chair opposite Dumbledore and waited.

Dumbledore stared for a moment at the sunlit grounds outside the window, then looked back at Harry and said, "Five years ago you arrived at Hogwarts, Harry, safe and whole, as I had planned and intended. Well - not quite whole. You had suffered. I knew you would when I left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep. I knew I was condemning you to ten dark and difficult years."

"He paused. Harry said nothing.

"You might ask - and with good reason - why it had to be so. Why could some wizarding family not have taken you in? Many would have done so more than gladly, would have been honored and delighted to raise you as a son.

"My answer is that my priority was to keep you alive. You were in more danger than perhaps anyone but I realized. Voldemort had been vanquished hours before, but his supporters - and many of them are almost as terrible as he - were still at large, angry, desperate and violent.

And I had to make my decision, too, with regard to the years ahead. Did I believe that Voldemort was gone for ever? No. I knew not whether it would be ten, twenty or fifty years before he returned, but I was sure he would do so, and I was sure, too, knowing him as I have done, that he would not rest until he killed you.

"I knew that Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he ever returned to full power.

"But I knew, too, where Voldemort was weak. And so I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, which he despises, and which he has always, therefore, underestimated - to his cost. I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative."

"She doesn't love me," said Harry at once. "She doesn't give a damn -"

"But she took you," Dumbledore cut across him. "She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you."

"I still don't."

"While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, while you are there he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years."

"Wait," said Harry. "Wait a moment."

He sat up straighter in his chair, staring at Dumbledore.

"You sent that Howler. You told her to remember - it was your voice –"

"I thought," said Dumbledore, inclining his head slightly, "that she might need reminding of the pact she had sealed by taking you. I suspected the Dementor attack might have awoken her to the dangers of having you as a surrogate son."

"It did," said Harry quietly. "Well - my uncle more than her. He wanted to chuck me out, but after the Howler came she - she said I had to stay"

He stared at the floor for a moment, then said, "But what's this got to do with – "

"Five years ago, then," continued Dumbledore, as though he had not paused in his story, "you arrived at Hogwarts, neither as happy nor as well-nourished as I would have liked, perhaps, yet alive and healthy. You were not a pampered little prince, but as normal a boy as I could have hoped under the circumstances. Thus far, my plan was working well.

"And then… well, you will remember the events of your first year at Hogwarts quite as clearly as I do. You rose magnificently to the challenge that faced you and sooner - much sooner - than I had anticipated, you found yourself face to face with Voldemort. You survived again. You did more. You delayed his return to full power and strength. You fought a man's fight. I was… prouder of you than I can say.

"Yet there was a flaw in this wonderful plan of mine," said Dumbledore. "An obvious flaw that I knew, even then, might be the undoing of it all. And yet, knowing how important it was that my plan should succeed, I told myself that I would not permit this flaw to ruin it. I alone could prevent this, so I alone must be strong. And here was my first test, as you lay in the hospital wing, weak from your struggle with Voldemort."

"I don't understand what you're saying," said Harry.

"Don't you remember asking me, as you lay in the hospital wing, why Voldemort had tried to kill you when you were a baby?"

Harry nodded.

"Ought I to have told you then?"

Harry stared into the blue eyes and said nothing, but his heart was racing again.

"You do not see the flaw in the plan yet? No… perhaps not. Well, as you know, I decided not to answer you. Eleven, I told myself, was much too young to know. I had never intended to tell you when you were eleven. The knowledge would be too much at such a young age.

"I should have recognized the danger signs then. I should have asked myself why I did not feel more disturbed that you had already asked me the question to which I knew, one day, I must give a terrible answer. I should have recognized that I was too happy to think that I did not have to do it on that particular day… You were too young, much too young.

"And so we entered your second year at Hogwarts. And once again you met challenges even grown wizards have never faced: once again you acquitted yourself beyond my wildest dreams. You did not ask me again, however, why Voldemort had your left that mark on you. We discussed scar, oh yes… we came very, very close to the subject. Why did I not tell you everything?

"Well, it seemed to me that twelve was, after all, hardly better than eleven to receive such information. I allowed you to leave my presence, bloodstained, exhausted but exhilarated, and if I felt a twinge of unease that I ought, perhaps, to have told you then, it was swiftly silenced. You were still so young, you see, and I could not find it in myself to spoil that night of triumph…

"Do you see, Harry? Do you see the flaw in my brilliant plan now? I had fallen into the trap I had foreseen, that I had told myself I could avoid, that I must avoid."

"I don't –"

"I cared about you too much," said Dumbledore simply. "I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed.

"I'm sure Dumbledore thought of you as a grandson," Hermione said. "The way he looked at you – there was such love in it. Like Minerva"

"Minerva said I'm like a grandson to her?" Harry coughed as Ginny and Ron laughed.

"Yes, she said so," Hermione grinned. "Shut it you two."

In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act.

"Is there a Defense? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have - and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined - not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? Inever dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands.

"We entered your third year. I watched from afar as you struggled to repel Dementors, as you found Sirius, learned what he was and rescued him. Was I to tell you then, at the moment when you had triumphantly snatched your godfather from the jaws of the Ministry? But now, at the age of thirteen, my excuses were running out. Young you might be, but you had proved you were exceptional. My conscience was uneasy, Harry. I knew the time must come soon…

"But you came out of the maze last year, having watched Cedric Diggory die, having escaped death so narrowly yourself… and I did not tell you, though I knew, now Voldemort had returned, I must do it soon. And now, tonight, I know you have long been ready for the knowledge I have kept from you for so long, because you have proved that I should have placed the burden upon you before this. My only Defense is this: I have watched you struggling under more burdens than any student who as ever passed through this school and I could not bring myself to add another - the greatest one of all."

Harry waited, but Dumbledore did not speak.

"I still don't understand."

"Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophecy had been made, though he did not know its full contents. He set out to kill you when you were still a baby, believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy. He discovered, to his cost, that he was mistaken, when the curse intended to kill you backfired. And so, since his return to his body, and particularly since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he has been determined to hear that prophecy in its entirety. This is the weapon he has been seeking so assiduously since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy you."

The sun had risen fully now: Dumbledore's office was bathed in it. The glass case in which the sword of Godric Gryffindor resided gleamed white and opaque, the fragments of the instruments Harry had thrown to the floor glistened like raindrops, and behind him, the baby Fawkes made soft chirruping noises in his nest of ashes.

"The prophecy's smashed," Harry said blankly. "I was pulling Neville up those benches in the - the room where the archway was, and I ripped his robes and it fell…"

"The thing that smashed was merely the record of the prophecy kept by the Department of Mysteries. But the prophecy was made to somebody, and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly"

"Who heard it?" asked Harry, though he thought he knew the answer already.

"I did," said Dumbledore. "On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above the bar at the Hog's Head inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however, was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave."

Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges, in which Harry had seen his father tormenting Snape.

Dumbledore walked back to the desk, placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his wand to his own temple. From it, he withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk and watched his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip.

A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly; her feet in the basin. But when Sibyll Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before:

_"The one with the power to vanquish the - Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_

The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished.

The silence within the office was absolute. Neither Dumbledore nor Harry nor any of the portraits made a sound. Even Fawkes had fallen silent.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said very quietly, for Dumbledore, still staring at the Pensieve, seemed completely lost in thought. "It… did that mean… what did that mean?"

"It meant," said Dumbledore, "that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times."

"It means - me?"

Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses.

"The odd thing, Harry," he said softly, "is that it may not have meant you at all. Sibyll's prophecy could have applied to two wizard boys, both born at the end of July that year, both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, both sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. One, of course, was you. The other was Neville Longbottom."

"But then… but then, why was it my name on the prophecy and not Neville's?"

"The official record was re-labeled after Voldemort's attack on you as a child," said Dumbledore.

"It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill you because he knew you to be the one to whom Sibyll was referring."

"Then - it might not be me?" said Harry

"I am afraid," said Dumbledore slowly, looking as though every word cost him a great effort, "that there is no doubt that it is you."

"But you said - Neville was born at the end of July, too - and his mum and dad –"

"You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy, the final identifying feature of the boy who could vanquish Voldemort… Voldemort himself would mark him as his equal. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville. He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse."

"But he might have chosen wrong!" said Harry. "He might have marked the wrong person!"

"He chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him," said Dumbledore. "And notice this, Harry: he chose, not the pureblood (which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing) but the half-blood, like himself. He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you,

"and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers, and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once, but four times so far - something that neither your parents, nor Neville's parents, ever achieved."

"Why did he do it, then?" said Harry, who felt numb and cold. "Why did he try and kill me as a baby? He should have waited to see whether Neville or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then –"

"That might, indeed, have been the more practical course," said Dumbledore, "except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was incomplete. The Hog's Head inn, which Sibyll chose for its cheapness, has long attracted, shall we say, a more interesting clientele than the Three Broomsticks. As you and your friends found out to your cost, and I to mine that night, it is a place where it is never safe to assume you are not being overheard. Of course, I had not dreamed, when I set out to meet Sibyll Trelawney, that I would hear anything worth overhearing. My - our - one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the prophecy and thrown from the building."

"So he only heard -?"

"He heard only the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you, and marking you as his equal. So Voldemort never knew that there might be danger in attacking you, that it might be wise to wait, to learn more. He did not know that you would have power the Dark Lord knows not–"

"But I don't!" said Harry, in a strangled voice. "I haven't any powers he hasn't got, I couldn't fight the way he did tonight, I can't possess people or - or kill them -"

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," interrupted Dumbledore, "that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you."

Harry closed his eyes. If he had not gone to save Sirius, Sirius would not have died… More to stave off the moment when he would have to think of Sirius again, Harry asked, without caring much about the answer, "The end of the prophecy... it was something about neither... can live..."

"…while the other survives," said Dumbledore.

"So," said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him, "so does that mean that… that one of us has got to kill the other one… in the end?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. Somewhere far beyond the office walls, Harry could hear the sound of voices, students heading down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast, perhaps. It seemed impossible that there could be people in the world who still desired food, who laughed, who neither knew nor cared that Sirius Black was gone forever

"Oh don't think about this," Dora sighed.

Sirius seemed a million miles away already; even now a part of Harry still believed that if he had only pulled back that veil, he would have found Sirius looking back at him, greeting him, perhaps, with his laugh like a bark…

"I feel I owe you another explanation, Harry," said Dumbledore hesitantly. "You may, perhaps, have wondered why I never chose you as a prefect? I must confess… that I rather thought… you had enough responsibility to be going on with..

Harry looked up at him and saw a tear trickling down Dumbledore's face into his long silver beard.

Later when he left and headed to the Hospital Wing to check on his friends he was angry.

When he got there he saw all his friends look at him angry.

"What?" Harry asked.

"It's your fault we look like this!" Ron said.

"My fault?! I told you all not to go with me!" Harry snapped.

"Every year we do something and get hurt. Well I'm sick of it!" Hermione said. "I'm done with you! We're over being friends!"

"Yeah! You're used to having no friends, so you can survive this." Ron said while everyone else nodded.

"You want to leave me, again?" Harry said and everyone nodded. "WELL I DON'T CARE! I WENT TEN YEARS WITHOUT ANY FRIENDS SO I CAN STAND THE REST OF MY LIFE IF I HAVE TO!"

After that everything in the room broke. But unlike his third year's accidental magic he didn't care or have to worry about getting expelled because he was at school.

Everyone looked at him in shock at what they just saw. Then he turned around and headed somewhere he goes to in a mad mood.

On his way there he bumped into someone. So he looked up to say sorry but it was Remus who looked angry.

"Remus?" he said.

"It's all your fault!" Remus snapped.

"What?"

"Your fault Sirius is dead and now I'm alone again!"

"I didn't do it on purpose! Voldemort tricked me!"

"I don't care! Don't write to me ever again!"

That got Harry even angrier so he pushed Remus away with a stunning spell hand headed to his one place muttering to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry stood there angry at everyone. His so-called-friends left him and Dumbledore had kept to much from him, Remus blamed him for Sirius' death and knew it wasn't. He had trouble controlling his magic from anger.

"The sorting hat was right. I should be in Slytherin!" he said to himself.

He had been headed to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to get somewhere only two people can speak to open it and three people can understand it. Dumbledore, Voldemort and Harry, but Dumbledore can only understand it.

When he got there he stared at the sink and focused on the snake.

_"Open."_

When it was open he jumped down and slid to the bottom.

He speaks it to help himself get things out. Since only he and Voldemort can speak it it comes in handy. Even though he can understand it Dumbledore will have trouble sometimes.

When he got there he walked around in a circle.

"They want to turn their back on me? Then they're going to regret it deeply."

Snape was on his way to his quarters when he heard something.

"Now I only have those three to live with!"

_'Potter?'_ he thought.

He watched him walk somewhere and decided to follow him.

When he saw him going to the girls bathroom he was confused but then saw it was the one Moaning Myrtle was at and the Chamber of Secrets was there. So he continued to follow Harry.

_"Open."_ he heard.

Then he saw Harry jump down and did the same thing. When he got there he watched Harry pace.

"They want to turn their back on me? Then they're going to regret it deeply."

While he watched him pace using the spy in him he wondered what he was thinking. He also felt Harry's magic started to move around. Everyone knew how observant Harry is so it's hard to spy on him and hide things.

Harry heard something and took out his wand.

"Who and where are you?!" he yelled.

Then he saw something and recognized it.

"What are you doing here Snape?"

_'Blast! He saw me. Then again he's a very observant person.'_ he thought.

Then he walked over to him.

"What are you doing here Potter?"

"This is where I go to get things out of me and such. It has its advantages being a parselmouth." he said.

"What's wrong?"

"My friends left me, Remus is blaming me for Sirius' death, Dumbledore is keeping things from me and I have to defeat Voldemort because a damn prophecy said only I can defeat him!" he yelled. "I should have accepted his offer first year!"

"Who's offer and for what?"

"Voldemort. He offered me to join him first year."

Snape stood there in shock.

'He would be helpful. With the strength he has in himself. The Dark Lord needs more strong Potter sr. and Lily were quite strong.' Snape thought.

"Alright Potter, there's a meeting tomorrow after school and I can bring you with me. Then you can talk to the Dark Lord. You are getting stronger every year." he said.

"That's because I was never allowed to get better grades then Dudley when I was little and started to realize I go to a different school from a different world. I keep a lot of strength in me so I wouldn't get better grades than Granger and Weasley. She's jealous about how good I am at Defense Against the Dark Arts now. I made my own spells a few weeks ago actually. It makes your wand unbreakable and only people you trust can touch it. And the other one you make more than one of yourself." he said.

Snape stood there in shock.

"You made your own spell at fifteen?!"

He nodded. "Hand me your wand and I can do it to your wand if you want."

"Please do." he said and handed him his wand.

"Alright, _relecto!"_

Then it went yellow for a second.

"Do you trust me?"

Snape nodded.

So he put it in his hand and tried to break it in half but didn't break.

"Alright, it works!" he said and smiled. "Here you go sir."

He handed him his wand and put it in his pocket.

"You Potter, come up with excellent ideas sometimes." Snape said shaking his head.

"Alright, it's almost curfew so I gotta go."

Then Snape followed the way out.

"I'll come get you when it's time for the meeting tomorrow."

He nodded and then they split up.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Snape was on his way to the library. Harry had sent him a patronus telling him he was at the library studying.

When he got there he saw him studying a book from the restricted section.

"Alright Potter, the meeting is in ten minutes so let's go to Malfoy Manor. The Dark Lord is staying there right now." he said.

He nodded and followed him to his quarters.

When they got there Snape got into his Death Eater clothes and then stood in front of Harry.

"Alright Potter, I'll go first and then you."

He nodded and watched him go.

"MALFOY MANOR!"

Then flames went off. When it was gone Harry did the same thing.

When he got there he saw Snape standing there and nodded.

So he followed him up to the meeting room.

"Severus, you're early today. Excellent." Voldemort said.

"I don't have any class this afternoon my lord. I also have someone that will shock everyone with me." he said.

"Who is it Severus?" he asked curious.

"Alright, you can come out now." Snape said.

Harry had brought his invisibility cloak with him so he took it off and everyone gasped.

"Potter? Why did you bring _him_ with you?" Bellatrix asked.

"His friends left him after the accident happened a few days ago. He was very angry also he said that he should have accepted your offer to join you first year my lord. I thought it would be a good idea to see if we could get him on our side. We all know his parents were quite strong as he is also." he explained.

"Is this true Harry, have you regretted not joining me first year and realized you should have?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes. So I'm willing to join you and prove to people that when you make a mistake with me, you get a second chance. But when you do it a second time you don't get a third chance. I also know the prophecy if you wanna know it. Dumbledore told me the other day." Harry said.

"Do tell." Voldemort said.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Everyone sat there in shock while Voldemort smirked.

"Oh how they made a big mistake. I am willing to let you join me if you want." he said.

"I'll do anything to prove that people make a wrong mistake. So I'll join you and try and give you things I can that Snape will miss. I'm an animagus so it should be easier. My animagus is a phoenix."

"Excellent. Come and give me your left arm. Then you will have the Dark Mark. It's going to be your left arm so you don't get confused about calling and your scar."

So he headed to him and took out his left arm.

_"Morsmordre!"_ he said and moved the picture of the mark.

When it was done Harry looked at it.

"You will have to go to every meeting because you're part of my inner circle."

He nodded then remembered something.

"Everyone give me your wand." he said with a smirk.

"Why?" Greyback asked.

"I made a spell that won't let people you don't trust touch it without a burn. Also it's unbreakable."

They looked at him in shock. Then gave him their wand.

_"Relecto!"_ he said to Voldemort's wand.

Then checked it and smirked.

"See?"

Then he did the same thing with everyone else.

"You Potter, come up with excellent ideas." Voldemort said.

"I can copy myself so it will be easier for me and Snape to go to meetings and school."

So he pointed his wand at Snape.

_"Multiplia!"_

Then they saw two Snape's.

"How did you do that?!" he asked.

"I don't know where I came up with it. And the opposite is, _divie!"_

Then there was only one.

"Multiply and divide, like school when I was younger."

"Impressive." Voldemort said.

"Thanks. Am I going to have to call you my lord and Dark Lord or can I stick with Voldemort in front of people?"

"I'll let you call me Voldemort in front of people but at meetings you are to call me my lord."

"Alright, I'll get used to it."

"Now why don't we start the meeting? Severus any news?"

"Well Potter's friends have left him when they know they decided to join him and he didn't want them to. He lost his godfather and only has his aunt and uncle to stay with now. Also the werewolf blames him for Black's death when he knows it was himself that went."

"Hmm, yes I heard about that. What have you been doing during the summer with your relatives?"

Harry froze for a few seconds. He knew Voldemort was a strong legilimance but he wasn't that good at occlumency so he gave in.

"I'm not the prince you think I am Professor. I'm the house elf for the Dursley's. I do the cooking, cleaning, Dudley's homework when we were at school, not aloud to get better grades then Dudley which is why I hide so much strength in me. And not to make Weasley and Granger jealous of me. Told me my parents died in a car crash, and got punished for accidental magic." he explained.

"Well that explains a lot." said Snape.

"That and the way you treat me at school. I was really excited about potions until my first lesson."

"I'll have a little chat when we get back to school."

Harry nodded and continued to tell them about his life. Peter winced after realizing what he did to him.

While they talked Harry was glad he joined him and the world was going to regret them turning their back on him.


	5. Chapter 5

After the meeting Harry and Snape went back to his quarters.

"Alright Potter, we're going to start occlumency lessons again. Later after dinner, I'll think of a different way to teach you." Snape said.

Harry nodded and headed to the common room.

When he got there he stared at everyone and then they shivered.

"Oh come on people, you should be used to my temper after five years!" he said and went to the boys dormitory.

A few hours later they were having dinner. While they did that Harry sat by himself.

After dinner he went to the dormitory, changed into some jeans, sneakers, a tee-shirt and then headed to Snape's room.

When he got there he knocked on the door. Then the door opened.

"Potter." he said with a nod.

"Professor." he said and walked in.

Then he sat down and waited for him to tell him his idea of what to try.

"Alright, let's try this again and something different. Try and think of something you like. Picture yourself flying for example."

Harry thought about himself flying.

"Have you got a picture of yourself flying?"

He nodded.

"Alright_, legilimance!_"

Then he started to see memories of Harry and his old friends. A few seconds later he was out of him.

"That's it Potter, try and fight the picture of your old friends to get them out of your mind and think about flying and games."

Then he did it again and again and was starting to get out of him easier than last time he taught him.

He smirked and nodded. "Alright Potter, that's good enough for tonight. Try and picture yourself flying before you go to sleep and come back on Thursday."

"Yes sir." he said and left.

When Harry was gone Snape headed to Dumbledore.

"Chocolate frogs."

Then it was open and he hoped on.

"Ah Severus. How was the lesson this time?" Dumbledore asked.

"Much better. I came up with the idea of Potter seeing himself flying a broom to see if that will help and I get out quickly." he said.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said smiling. "I'm glad you started to teach him again. After him losing Sirius and his friends leaving him for something he didn't tell them to do. Especially from Remus blaming him for what happened."

He shook his head.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but poor thing. I saw memories where the Dursley's treated him. He can't go back to them Albus. They treat him like a house elf! They treat him worse than my father treated me!"

He sighed.

"Severus you know about the blood line. He only has Petunia to protect him now. He has no grandparents and James was an only child."

"Albus does that even work from the Dark Lord having his blood now?"

He froze and then realized it didn't work now.

"Oh Merlin, it doesn't. I never thought about that until you said that."

"Then what's the point in him staying there? Two Weasley's and Granger turned their back on him so he only has Grimauld Place now!"

Dumbledore sighed and put his hands in his face. Then looked up.

"You're right Severus. I'll call him tomorrow after breakfast. I just looked at Sirius' Will and it appears that he left everything in his will to Harry. He also is the heir of Black. He had asked James and Lily if he could take care of it. His grandmother was Dorea Black and they agreed. Sirius blood adopted him without Harry knowing. So really Harry is Harry James Potter-Black. So Harry is now the top Potter and Black." he explained.

"Alright then. We have to hope he lets you keep using it as headquarters for the Order. But after what happened I have a feeling he's not letting us in."

"Don't forget how much of a heart Harry has Severus." Dumbledore said.

After that they split up.


	6. Chapter 6

After breakfast Harry was at Dumbledore's office.

"You needed to see me sir?" Harry said.

"Yes, a few reasons actually. One is about Sirius and the other is your aunt and uncle."

Harry sat there and waited.

"I found Sirius' Will and it says that he left everything in his will for you. And you are now Lord Black. Your grandmother was a Black and he talked to your parents about you taking the Black family. They agreed so Sirius blood adopted you. So really you're Harry James Potter-Black and the top Black and Potter."

He sat there in shock.

"Alright then, I'll go to Gringotts later and take care of Potter and Black. And the other thing?"

"After Severus telling me about memories of your family he asked me if the blood line will work now that Voldemort has your blood and it doesn't work anymore. So you can stay at Grimauld Place now. I just want to keep it with a secret keeper still alright? And can you please still let me keep it as headquarters for the Order?"

"I'll stay at Grimauld Place and on one condition I'll let you keep it as headquarters."

"What is it?"

"Let me decided who can get in."

"Deal. Let me stay as secret keeper for a bit and if I need to change for some reason I'll let you pick who's the new one. Alright?"

"Alright."

They shook hands and split up. Then Harry headed to Gringott.

"Name?" Ragnok said.

"Harry Potter. I wish to get lordship of the Potter and Black families."

"Mr. Potter, of course. Come with me and we can take a blood test."

So he followed him to a different room and took some of his blood.

Then he saw the Peverell, Black, Potter, Guant and many more.

"You truly are the heir of Potter and Black. Let me get the rings and then we can finish this."

When he came back he had a gold and red ring and green and silver ring.

He put the red and gold ring on his ring finger and green and silver on his middle finger.

When he was done he headed back to Hogwarts.

A few weeks later during transfiguration Harry felt his left arm and scar burn strong. His scar would still burn like it has since first year. He quietly hissed and winced tightly then he saw Ron and Hermione noticed. So he put his hand on his forehead. They had still been ignoring him but will look at him when they see him rub his scar. He could tell they were a little worried.

Voldemort had made Harry's mark stronger than the others. Harry didn't know why he made his mark stronger than the others though.

"Potter?" McGonagall said.

He jumped and looked up at her.

"It's nothing Professor, just my scar again. May I go to the bathroom and just put some cold water on it to see if that will help please?"

"Alright, you sure you don't want to go see Madam Pomfrey?"

"NO!"

Everyone in Gryffindor started to laugh. Even McGonagall chuckled.

"Alright, come back quick."

"Yes Professor."

He headed to the bathroom, made a copy of himself and headed to Snape.

When he got there he saw him waiting for him. He had taught him his copy spell so it was easier.

"Well, I'm impressed. Experience from your aunt and uncle?" Snape said.

"Yup." Harry said.

"Alright, occlumency locked?" he asked.

"Yes sir. I've been working on fake memories and think I have it done."

"Good, now let's go."

So they used the flew powder and headed to Malfoy Manor.

It was the last day of school and he was going to stay at Grimauld Place. He let everyone in the Order but Remus and the Weasley kids stay. Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Molly and Arthur were ashamed of the two youngest kids for blaming him. He's letting Remus go for one last time and that will be when he leaves tonight.

When they got to the meeting room they were right on time.

"Severus, Harry, just in time. I'm impressed that you could get away from class." Voldemort said.

"Having this scar and the pain I feel can pay off Vol- my lord. I said I was going to water it to try and see if that will help." Harry said.

"Impressive. Severus says it's hard to get away with things from Minerva. It sounds very Slytherin of you."

He smirked.

"I have every bit of all four houses in me. So it can pay off."

Then they sat down and waited.

"Severus, any news?"

"Yes, Black has made a will and left everything in it for Potter. Apparently his grandmother was a Black, Dorea I think it was? And he was the heir of Black. He blood adopted him without him even knowing. So he let Albus continue using it as headquarters." he said.

Narcissa and Belatrix looked at each other in shock.

_'Aunt Dorea is Potter's grandmother?'_ they thought to each other.

"Ah, even after the incident you still have the heart to let them use it." Voldemort said.

"Yes my lord. I don't let Remus in anymore when he leaves after him blaming me for the incident with Sirius. I don't let the two youngest Weasley kids or Granger in anymore either. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George because they care about me even though what happened." he said.

"Good, anything else Harry?"

"Actually I went to Gringott to take lordship of Potter and Black and Dumbledore was wrong about something. I didn't just get parseltounge the night you killed my parents but the Gaunt family. So I'm related to you and Slytherin. Also the blood line from my aunt doesn't work anymore which is why I'm going to live in Grimauld Place. Since you took some of my blood that night the protection doesn't work anymore." he said.

"Well, that's interesting. Anything else?"

"Not right now my lord. I've been working on legilimancy for the past few weeks but that's about it."

"Good. It truly can be helpful sometimes."

Then Nagini appeared and everyone but Harry got away from her the best they could.

"Oh come on people, she's not gonna hurt you without his permission." Harry said rolling his eyes. "Hedwig is protective with me but you don't see others scared of her. Although, she did bite one of the Weasley's deep yesterday. He was about to give her a letter to send to his parents. I let him use her since Earel is getting old and stupid."

"Thank you! At least someone understands me." Nagini said and started to get on him.

"You're welcome. Now could you please get off of me? You're killing my body. I'm a strong wizard but not that strong with my body!" he hissed back.

"You're also part of my owner. A part of his soul is in your scar."

Both Harry and Voldemort froze.

"What do mean Nagini?" Voldemort asked.

"He is one of your horcrux's. You accidentally made him one when you killed his parents. The rebound transferred some of you in him."

Harry fell off his chair in shock.

"What is it my lord?" Lucius asked.

"Something we were not expecting Lucius. Not at all." he said.

When Harry got up and back in his seat he sat there and thought.

Then it answered the questions he's had for years.

"I'll admit one thing to you all which you must keep quiet."

They all nodded.

"Narcissa, Bellatrix, being a Black you know all kinds of dark magic correct?"

They nodded.

"I made horcruxes when I was sixteen and older. You remember Horace Slughorn?"

Everyone but Harry nodded.

"Who?" he asked confused.

"The potions Professor before I started." Snape said.

"Ah."

"He told me about them and thought I was being hypothetical. I made seven like I planned on doing apparently. As long as I live you live also Potter."

"OK then. Kind of like Nicholas Flamel."

"Yes, exactly Harry."

"Alright, shall we continue my lord?" he asked.

"Yes, let's get back to business. Now, Lucius, Narcissa,"

"Yes my lord?" Lucius asked.

"I believe Draco is ready to get the Dark Mark this summer. I also have a bit of a mission for him."

"Which is what my lord?" Narcissa asked.

"Kill Dumbledore. And if he can't do it I want Harry to do it."

He froze and looked at him.

"Me my lord?" he asked.

"Yes Harry. It is time for London to find out what they have done to their hero. For your old friends to realize their mistake after blaming you for something that they didn't have to do."

He thought about it for a while and realized that they deserve to know the mistake they made.

He smirked.

"I would love to do that my lord. I have a heart yes, but a dark side of me to. I use the Slytherin in me sometimes. So let's use it if Draco can't do it."

"Alright, Draco will get his Mark next month. I want you all here. Including Harry and Severus."

"Yes my lord." everyone said.

"Alright, Harry, Severus you may go back to school."

"Thank you my lord." Snape said.

So they headed back to Snape's quarters and looked for their bodies. Harry used his invisibility cloak and Snape used a charm. He had been trying to teach Harry the invisibility spell but had trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

Before they knew it they were on their way home. Harry was with himself and looked out the window. A few seconds later he heard someone knocking.

He looked over and saw Malfoy.

"Malfoy? What do you want?"

"To talk." he said.

"Well, take a seat."

So he sat down across from him. Then Harry hit a silencing charm on the door.

"So what do you want?"

"I heard you joined the Dark Lord." he said.

"Yeah, I did. But you can't tell anyone! Got it?"

"Got it. Why would the great Harry Potter join the Dark Lord?"

"If you turn your back on me twice or blame me for something I didn't do you lose my trust and friendship. I never had a friend until I started Hogwarts." he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm a strange person. My aunt and uncle called me a freak. They never told me what happened to my parents."

"That's just not right, my aunt Bella would never do something like that." he said.

"Whatever. So, any plans for the summer?"

"You already know I get the Dark Mark this summer. Which I'm a little nervous about."

"Why? It doesn't even hurt to get it." Harry said.

"He could have gone soft on you."

"Why would he go soft on me? I was his mortal enemy for god sake! And besides, he makes the calling harder for me."

"Exactly. When you joined him he was thrilled. Dumbledore's weapon on his side. And the only person that can defeat him. I don't know why he would make your mark burn worse than the others though."

"Alright, alright I get it! Sirius, Remus and my parents would be furious at me. And have a repeat of Wormtail back during the first war. But my parents and Sirius would be even more angry at Remus for leaving me. Which is why I'm not letting him in the meetings or Grimauld Place at all. Same with Ginny, Ron and Hermione, the mudblood is never going to be close there and the only Weasley's I let in are Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George and Bill. As for the calling worse I have no idea."

"Why the adults?"

"Bill, Charlie, Fred and George blamed Ron and Ginny for themselves. They knew they didn't have to go. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are furious at the two of them for leaving and blaming me."

While they talked they said things they like and what they're summer plans are.

"So I'll see you July 30th? Unless there's a meeting of course." Malfoy asked.

"Of course. I'll owl you if you want." Harry said.

"That would be nice."

"Alright then."

So they headed to their rides. Mr. Malfoy was there to bring Draco home. And the Order was there to get Harry. Molly and Arthur were there to get the kids.

"Harry!" Molly said.

"Mrs. Weasley." he said.

"We're so sorry for what Ron and Ginny did to you. And thank you for letting us use Grimauld Place as headquarters for the Order again." she said.

Like the other members they were surprised to.

"You're welcome Mrs. Weasley. I'll let you, Mr. Weasley, Fred, George and Bill in. Not Ron, Hermione, Ginny or Percy. Remus is gone after today to. Just to let you know who can still go." he said.

She nodded and then went back to the kids.

"Harry?"

He turned around and took out his wand. It was Remus.

"Calm down cub." Remus said.

"Don't call me cub! You're an awful alpha! Blame your own and _only_ cub for something he didn't do! I didn't _make_ Sirius go there did I? I didn't _make_ Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna go with me did I? If Snape hadn't stopped them or come up with a different idea it probably wouldn't have happened! I'm lucky he started again!" he yelled.

"Calm down Harry! You're magic is starting to come out!" Remus said.

"I don't care. I used wandless magic last summer, apparated without knowing when I was eight being 'Harry hunted' at recess. So I'm a pretty strong young wizard."

They looked at him in shock. Tonks thought of something else.

"What do you mean 'Harry hunting'?" she asked.

"I'll admit something to you all when we get to headquarters. And for right now, this is the last time you're going in my new house Remus."

They all nodded and Remus realized that what he did was a bad thing.


	8. Chapter 8

When they got there Harry asked Kreacher to get them all some tea. So he did as told while Harry unpacked.

When he got there he went to the kitchen. He saw everyone including Dumbledore in the kitchen with some tea.

"Alright Potter, what have they done to you. I don't like the way you sounded earlier or what I saw during our lessons this year." Snape said.

He already knew a little from his first meeting and his lessons.

"I was the house elf there. Actually, does someone have a pensive?"

Dumbledore nodded and handed it to him. So he took out his childhood.

"Have fun and good luck not attacking Dumbledore and or the Dursley's. Remus, try not to go after them on the next full

moon." he said.

None of them liked the sound of that. But they all went in.

While they watched his childhood he went to the kitchen and helped Kreacher make dinner. While he did that he told him about his life and that he was on Voldemort's side.

Kreacher was surprised at what he heard and realized he was pretty much another Regulus. He was thrilled that he had joined Voldemort to.

When they were done looking at the memories dinner was ready.

They all looked out of it and Harry put his memories back.

"So Professor, did you like my childhood? Because I never was one!"

"Albus, he was abused his whole life!" Remus said.

"No wonder he acts more like an adult then a child like he should!" Molly said.

"They could be arrested for this!" Tonks said.

"Which is exactly what we're going to do." Kingsley said.

"Sounds good to me. Now come on, dinner." Harrry said.

So they sat down and had dinner.

"Who made this?" Molly asked.

"Me and Kreacher." Harry said.

"It's delicious Harry!" Remus said.

"Thanks. This is the last time you come here until you realize that you blame me for something I didn't do. You get one more chance and that's it. I give everyone a second chance but after that one you're gone. Got it?"

He nodded.

After dinner everyone that was there left. Harry got ready for bed and then fell asleep.

When he woke up the next morning he remembered he lives in Grimauld Place now.

So he got up, got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning Master Harry." Kreacher said.

"Good morning Kreacher." he said.

"What would Master Harry like for breakfast?"

"I don't care, you can pick. If you want me to help let me know."

Kreacher nodded and then went to the kitchen to look at the paper.

A few minutes later breakfast was ready and he sat there and ate.

After breakfast Harry decided to start his homework so he could get it done early.

When he was done with charms his homework he decided to look around his new house. Even though he has his own home he'll always call Hogwarts his home.

Throughout the week Harry would help Kreacher clean up a bit and cook. He said over the summer and holidays he'll make dinner and Kreacher can set the table and clean the dishes.

It was Monday afternoon and Harry had just finished lunch. He was working on his potions homework when he felt his arm burn. He hissed and winced for a second but then stood up.

"Kreacher."

"Master Harry call Kreacher?" he said a few seconds later.

"The Dark Lord is calling us. So I'm gonna make a copy of myself. If anyone comes or something it will look like it's really me."

At Grimauld Place the ministry couldn't tell he used magic outside of school.

Kreacher was surprised Harry made a spell like that but nodded.

So Harry headed to the flew networks after he made a copy of himself and put his cloak on.

"MALFOY MANOR!" he shouted and was gone.

When he got there he headed to the meeting room and saw Malfoy sitting next to his mum.

"Harry, just in time as usual." Voldemort said.

"It's a habit my lord." he said.

"Take a seat next to Draco."

So he nodded and sat next to Malfoy.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy."

"Harry. You can call me aunt Cissy if you like." Narcissa said smiling.

Harry was surprised but nodded.

"And you can call me aunt Bella." Bellatrix said.

That shocked everyone, even Voldemort.

"Umm, OK." he said.

_'This will be interesting. I guess since grandma was a Black and I joined Voldemort they accepted me. Unlike aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.'_ he thought.

"Alright then, let's begin. Harry, anything going on so far?" Voldemort asked.

"I don't have to deal with the two youngest Weasley's at home or the know-it-all anymore. I let Fred and George come because they don't blame me like their parents and Bill don't. I have a good enough heart to let Remus back in when he apologizes like he should. And my aunt, uncle and bratty cousin got a trial two weeks ago. Uncle Vernon is in Azkaban for twenty five years, aunt Petunia is there for ten years and Dudley for five. But that's about it." he said.

"Well at least some people still care about you Potter." Voldemort said. "Severus, anything from you?"

"Just about the same thing as Potter said my lord." he said.

"Alright, now this is Draco's first meeting. After this day he will be coming to every meeting except for school days. As for Severus and Harry I want you to come every time like last time. Alright?"

"Yes my lord." Harry said.

"Good. You Potter are very obedient."

"When you get the childhood I have, it's a habit." he said.

_"More like our childhood." _Harry hissed quietly.

"Yes, we do get quite more in common every time I see you." Voldemort said after hearing that.

Everyone looked at them confused.

"Let's just say I'm a mini James by looking and trouble with a test Dumbledore gives me every year. But a mini Lily for everything else. And we had a little bit of a childhood you don't want to know." Harry said.

Everyone but Snape were a little surprised.

"What do you mean _testing_ you?" Voldemort asked.

"It's obvious isn't it? First year the test was to stop the stone from being stolen from you. And put in Hogwarts at that. The three challenges were figuring out the Devil Snare puzzle, Granger was the brains for us back then, next was a key for the door to grab on a broom and everyone knows I'm the flying master and Weasley is the chess king from the third and final test. Second year we had the Chamber of Secrets open and I was the only one that could open at the time and your memory had Ginny so it was my job to save her. Third year when Sirius broke out of Azkaban I had to make a patronus and realize Sirius was innocent, fourth year I was forced to play the tri-wizard cup and last year he ignored me, made Snape over there teach me occlumency to try and not be tricked from our connection. And last tell me about the damn prophecy!"

They all sat there and realized he was right. Even Malfoy saw he was right.

Then they went back to the meeting.


	9. Chapter 9

As the summer went on the Order and Voldemort meetings went on.

Harry had finished his occlumency lessons a week before his birthday. Harry had been going into his animagus form to see what Dumbledore was doing and saw something on his finger. He found out that the old potions master he heard about a few months ago might be coming back to school.

He was on his way to Malfoy Manner right now.

"Harry, you're early today." Narcissa said.

"Hi aunt Cissy. I just wanna see how Draco's doing now that he gets the Dark Mark next week."

"Ah, he's in the library doing his homework." she said.

"Thanks."

So he headed to the library and saw him writing something.

"Hi." he said.

"Oh, hi." Malfoy said.

"You need some help with anything?"

"Yeah, Charms." he said.

"My mum was good at Charms and my dad was good at transfiguration so I can help you with that and check on them if you want."

"That would be nice."

"Alright, I've been doing the homework like a normal person in private and iffy grades from a habit. So really I got my Charms, transfiguration and potions from my parents. When we get back to school I'm giving them all the homework I really did and working as hard as I can since they left me."

"This will be an interesting year."

So Harry started to help and fix up Malfoy's homework. While he did that Narcissa listened to them talking to each other and thrilled that they might be friends and would be able to help each other.

Half an hour later they were in the meeting. Snape had just finished with his news and now it was time for Harry's.

"What do you have for us this time?"

"I was in my animagus in the headmaster's room. Apparently Dumbledore is having, Slughorn his name was right?"

"Yes." Voldemort said suspicious why he would be back.

"And his hand was turning grey or something with some kind of ring on his finger." he continued.

Voldemort froze.

"No."

"What is it my lord?" Bellatrix asked.

"That ring is one of my Horcruxes!" he hissed.

Harry sat there in shock. For both telling Harry and admitting it.

"Was your diary one of them?"

"Yes, why?"

"Lucius gave it to Ginny my second year. Then when I was at the Chamber of Secrets I destroyed it."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" he yelled making everyone jump.

"Blame Lucius not me! And I don't even know what a Horcrux is!"

"Lucius, I don't suppose you gave the Weasley girl my diary did you?"

He sat there quietly.

"Yes. Why did you make me hold onto it anyway my lord?" Lucius asked.

"It was my first Horcrux! So was the ring!" he yelled.

Lucius turned pale.

_"Crucio!"_ he yelled hitting Lucius.

While he sat there Harry was getting a little nervous but knew he was getting the same thing.

When he was done with Lucius he looked at Harry.

"And you!" he snapped looking at Harry.

Harry gulped, shut his eyes and waited.

_"Crucio!"_

Then Harry was on the ground fighting the need to scream.

A few minutes later he was done. Harry winced and took deep breaths while everyone looked at him in shock that he fought off the pain.

Then Voldemort did something he wasn't expecting and hadn't felt in almost two years. He put his hand on Harry's scar.

"AHHHHHHH!" he yelled out loud.

_'Not again. Not my prongslet.'_ Peter thought slowly shaking his head.

"This will be your punishment when you disobey me." Voldemort snapped.

When he was off Harry fought the tears he started to feel. Then was out of it for a few minutes.

_'How lies affect your legend Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago? How I truly lost my power? It was love. You see when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him. But that was old magic, something I should have for seen. But no matter, no matter, I can touch you, now!'_

_"AHHHHHHH!"_

_ "Astonishing what a drop of your blood will do ah Harry?"_

"Harry?"

Then he snapped out of it and took deep breaths to calm down.

"Huh?" he said.

He saw Malfoy looking at him, worried?

"Are you alright?" he asked.

When he looked up and saw Voldemort he twitched and automatically covered his scar.

"Y-yeah, just a flashback of fourth year when he came back." he said.

Then Malfoy helped him up.

"Thanks." he said.

When he got up he winced from the pain he had from the curse and scar.

Then he took a deep breath and sat down while he did that he winced again.

"I'm sorry Potter, but you need a way to be punished." Voldemort said.

Harry nodded automatically.

"Umm, my lord isn't that a bit much for my prongslet?" Peter said.

Everyone looked at him.

Voldemort opened his mouth but Harry said something before he could.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Prongslet?" he said.

"That was the nickname from me. A rats offspring are called puppy or kitten. You're already Sirius' pup, Remus' cub and James' Prongs jr. so I came up with prongslet. If you were a girl you would be kitten." he said.

Harry sat there quietly and then Voldemort started again.

"As touching as it is, no. He will be given both of them."

Peter nodded and started to feel even more guilty about turning his back on his former friends.

After that they continued with the meeting. When they were done Harry went back home.


	10. Chapter 10

When he got there he winced again and Kreacher saw him do that.

"Is Master Harry alright?" Kreacher asked.

"Yeah, let's just say I got a serious repeat of my fourth year when he came back." he said.

Kreacher helped him sit on the couch and made him some tea. While he did that Snape came with something.

"Potter." he said.

"Professor, what are you doing here?"

"I have a pain killing potion for you. We can all tell that he used a very strong Crucio on you. And considering the fact that he touched your scar that must have felt worse."

"You have no idea. He even gave me my mark harder than you and the others! It's like a mixture of my scar pain and the Dark Mark pain you get when he calls." he said then drank the potion.

After that he felt better. His scar was burning from Voldemort's anger but he was used to that after five years.

A week later they were in Malfoy Manor waiting for Malfoy to get his Dark Mark.

"Draco, it is time for you to join me like your parents." Voldemort said.

So he walked over to him and knelt down.

Then Voldemort took out his wand and put it on his arm.

_"Mosmadra!"_

Then it was done and he had the Dark Mark like his dad and plenty of others.

"Welcome to the Dark side. Unlike Harry and Severus you don't have to go to every meeting. Only when you aren't at school." Voldemort said.

"Yes my lord. Thank you." Malfoy said.

Then he went and stood next to his parents.

When they were done Harry went to see Fred and George and see how their shop was doing.

He had gotten his school supplies yesterday and decided to go visit the twins after the meeting.

"Hey guys." he said smiling.

"Hi Harry!" George said.

"How's the shop going?"

"It's going great!" Fred said smiling.

"Good. Alright, I have to go. School starts soon and I have to finish packing. So I'll see you later!" he said smiling while he left.

When he got home he finished packing. After that he went to bed.


	11. Chapter 11

Before he knew it he was on the Hogwarts express saying goodbye to Remus.

"Have a good term and we'll see you on Christmas break." Remus said.

He gave Mrs. Weasley a quick hug and then hopped on the train.

Harry had owled Malfoy telling him that it wasn't a good idea to sit together so he's going to sit by himself.

Harry was looking out the window and thinking about this year wondering what would happen this year.

"I wonder what kind of test we're getting this year. It has to involve the horcruxes." he said.

When he got to school he sat down and listened to the sorting. He was sitting by himself today like the end of last year. When he was done with the first years Dumbledore opened his mouth but was interrupted.

"I have one thing I want to do first Dumbledore." the sorting hat said.

"Which would be what hat?" he asked confused.

"Someone was left alone at the end of the year last year. And left behind from his friends."

"Which would be who?" McGonagall asked.

"A Gryffindor, Harry Potter. And I would like to resort him into his correct house."

Everyone started whispering.

"Alright, Harry would you come here please?" Dumbledore said.

So he headed to the front and sat down. Then the hat was put on his head.

And started to say everything out loud so they could hear him.

"Mr. Potter, long time no speak. Second year is the last time I talked to you."

"Yeah. So what do you want to do, resort me?"

"Yes. Now let's see what we have this time."

Harry unlocked his occlumency and the hat started.

"Hmm, you're much more difficult this time. Much more courage, much stronger and smarter after they left you. You're hiding almost all of your strength to not make your former friends jealous I can see."

After hearing that the other people from second to seventh year sat there in shock. The Professors were shocked to after hearing about one of their students. Especially McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape.

"Yeah, my very first friends. They left me even though I didn't force them to join me. Well, Hagrid is still my friend."

Hagrid smiled and nodded.

"Yes, back to business. You have much more strength and skill after so little time. And your thirst to prove yourself is even stronger. So why don't we put you in the correct house. To be great and get on your way to greatness like I said that night five years ago."

"Go for it."

"Alright, after five years the correct house would be, SLYTHERIN!"

Everyone gasped. Harry stood up, waved his hand and went from gold and orange to green and silver.

Some people gasped at seeing a sixteen year old using wandless and silent magic. The other Gryffindor's weren't that surprised though. They heard what happened last year and that he was able to use wandless magic at fifteen. But were still a little surprised.

Then he looked at his former friends.

"Now that we're in different houses just wait until you see how strong of a wizard I truly am. You just saw what I did and know what I did last year. Granger, Weasley you just wait until you see what I have in me. Enjoy being top of our year for now, but by the end of the week you're going to be second best. You big know-it-all! As for you Weasley, I hid all this to make you not even more jealous than you are from the fame. You just wait." he said.

People that recognized that look and voice shivered. Even Professors did especially Snape.

"Kreacher!" he called.

Then there was a snap.

"Master Harry call Kreacher?" he said.

"Yes, could you please bring my things to the Slytherin boys dormitory?"

"Of course Master Harry."

"Thanks."

So Kreacher snapped again and got his things.

Harry had been thinking about seeing if Kreacher needed some help and wanted maybe one of the Hogwarts house elves to help him. He was going to have a talk with him about it later.

Then Harry went and sat next to Malfoy.

"Let's try this again, I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Malfoy said holding out his hand.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter. Nice to meet you." Harry said.

Then they shook hands and during dinner they talked to know each other and other snakes.

Everyone looked at him in shock. Daphne watched him and listened to him.

_'He does look handsome. But way to thin.' _

Then she snapped out of it.

Harry looked at her for a few minutes then looked away. He had had a crush on her since first year but nobody knew about it.

After dinner Harry followed the others to the common room.

When they got there he followed Malfoy to the boys dormitory.

"I'm gonna go talk to Kreacher in the kitchen about something." he said grabbing his invisibility cloak.

They all nodded and watched him leave.

When he got there he took it off and got all the elves attention.

"Master Harry, what are you doing here at this time of night?" Kreacher asked.

"To have a chat with you Kreacher."

He nodded while all the other elves stood there quietly.

"You have trouble doing things now don't you?" he asked.

Kreacher felt a little guilty but nodded.

"Do you want me to ask one of them to see if they want to work for me at home?"

They all stood there and waited shocked they would want them to work for him. Then they remembered that Dobby had told them about Harry and how he let him out. And Kreacher had told them how he treats him at home.

"Kreacher wouldn't mind some help." he said.

"Alright then. Any idea who you would want if they agree?"

Kreacher looked at the others.

"Would anyone like to work for Master Harry? I know Winky misses working for a family. Would you like to do that?" he said.

Winky smiled and jumped up and down.

"Oh yes Kreacher! Winky loves to work for a family!" she said.

"Alright then. Anyone else?"

Dobby raised his hand excited also.

"Dobby would love to work for Master Harry!" he said.

"Ok then. Are these two good to you Master Harry?" Kreacher asked.

"Fine with me Kreacher. I was actually going to suggest Winky." he said.

They nodded and were accepted.

"Dobby you can keep your socks and shoes if you want."

"Yes please Master Harry. Thank you!" Dobby said.

"Alright then, why don't one of you tell Dumbledore that you are working for me and why. Good night. If anyone needs or wants help at home just let me know."

"Yes Master Harry, good night." the three said together.

The other elves were happy the two of them work for Harry now. They were surprised but happy Harry treats elves nice.

So he headed to the Slytherin common room. When he got there he saw Malfoy and Daphne still there.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"What were you doing?" Draco asked.

"Just talking to Kreacher and asked if he needed another house elf because he's getting pretty old. So now Winky and Dobby work for me. I was going to suggest Winky because I've heard she's miserable from not working for a family anymore. Just jumped like crazy after Kreacher told her."

Then they got ready for bed and fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day while they had breakfast people looked at Harry still in shock. Harry talked to Daphne while they ate.

"So, you wanna sit next to me at Charms?" she asked.

"Uh, sure." he said.

After breakfast they headed to Charms.

It felt weird sitting next to Daphne instead of Ron or Hermione.

The Gryffindor's looked at him. He just rolled his eyes and wrote something. Then he turned it into a bird and it went to Ron and Hermione.

_If you turn your back on me you get a second chance. When you do it a second time you don't get a third. So you just wait until you see how strong I truly am. When I was eight I apparated with accidental magic. I did wandless magic at fifteen, accidental magic at fifteen. And the older you are with accidental magic the stronger of a witch or wizard you are. So get ready Weaselbe, know-it-all._

They looked at him and he smirked.

"He can't be that strong can he?" Hermione asked.

"Well the Potters are a really strong family. So knowing him and hearing what he did over the years I wouldn't be surprised if you were jealous by the end of the week." Ron said.

He handed the letter to the other Gryffindor's and they looked at him. Then they realized that he was right. The Potter family was a very old, rich and powerful family. The pureblood and most of the halfblood weren't looking forward to the year. Muggleborns and people that didn't know that much about some families were confused.

When Flitwick came he saw how pale the Gryffindor's were.

"Mr. Weasley, is something wrong?" he asked.

He couldn't say anything so he handed him the letter.

After he read it he shook his head. Only students could see the names he has for Ron and Hermione on the paper.

"I'm not surprised. I'm looking forward to see how good at Charms you are compared to your mother. I'm sure Professor McGonagal is thinking the same for transfiguration. Professor Slughorn to because potions was her second best. Now, let's get started!" Flitwick said.

So he started to teach them the spell they were working on. They will start silent magic this year.

As the day went by people will look at Harry in shock. Wondering how he was so strong at sixteen.

He had given all his Professors his homework from first year to last year after each classes. Since Snape was teaching Defense this year he gave him his potions homework after Defense. They were both thrilled he had done them like he should have and kept it and surprised how good he truly was.

Like he said by the end of the week Harry was the top of their year. And like he thought Hermione was jealous and furious. Ron was even more jealous than before.

"I can't believe you're getting better grades than Granger." Daphne said.

"I know. I can't believe you're good at everything, Charms, transfiguration, cares of magical creatures, herbology, Defense, even history!" Draco said.

"Well when you realize you go to a different school in a different world you can prove who you are." Harry said.

Before they knew it it was November. Harry was top of his year at everything. He and Draco were best friends and he and Daphne were getting close to.

He was also the Slytherin seeker. And they were excited about this year. They had a feeling they were going to start winning the cup again.

It was a Hogsmead weekend and he was thinking about asking Daphne out.

"Come on Harry, just do it! We all know you like her." Tracy said.

"I don't know, what if she only likes me as a friend? Or my fame?"

"Oh come on, we know she likes you to. And would never like you for your fame! Especially since you joined the Dark Lord." Theodore Nott said.

Then the door opened and Daphne came.

"Look, there she is. Go for it!" Blaise said.

Then Malfoy pushed him and he almost knocked her over.

"Sorry Daphne. Draco just made me fall after pushing me." he said.

"That's ok." she said.

"Hey I was wondering, do you wanna go to the three broomsticks with me tomorrow?"

She stood there quietly for a second.

"Sure." she said.

"Great, twelve o'clock sound good?"

"Sounds good."

So they split up and the other three smiled a little.

"Told you she'd say yes." Malfoy said.

He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it."

Then he felt heat on his arm and winced. Draco did the same thing. Only Harry and Snape had to go to the meetings though.

"I have to go. I'll see you later."

So he made a copy of himself and then headed to Snape's office.

When he got there he knocked on the door. A few seconds later it was open.

"Let's go Potter. At least the Dark Lord is waiting until after dinner today." Snape said.

So they headed to Malfoy Manor.


	13. Chapter 13

When they got there Voldemort sat there waiting for them to sit down.

"Ahh Severus, Harry, just in time. Sit down." he said.

So they sat down and waited.

"Now Harry, I heard that you were resorted the day you get back to school. Is that right?"

"Yes my lord. I have every bit of the four houses in me but the hat said I would do well in Slytherin. So after Weasley and Granger turn their back on me the hat says I should go to the correct house." he said.

"I've also heard you've been keeping a little bit of strength in you so no one will be jealous?"

Snape and some of the people that had heard from their kids snorted.

"Oh he's kept a lot more than some of his strength in him my lord." Snape said.

"I'm top of my year and Granger is jealous about me being better at everything. Weasley is even more jealous because I'm a very strong person. But being a Weasley like any other pureblood he knows that the Potters are a very old, rich and strong family." he said.

"Yes, the Potter is one of the oldest and richest families in London." Bellatrix said.

"And since Sirius left me everything he left me his account at Gringotts. I guess he added some of his blood that day my mum had me. So technically I'm Harry James Potter-Black." he said.

When they were done Harry and Snape went back to school.

Later that night there was a staff meeting. They all sat there waiting.

"So, how is Harry doing in his new house?" Dumbledore asked.

"He's the best in his year at everything Albus! He is a very strong young man." Snape said.

Slughorn was the head of Slytherin House again and nodded.

"Yes, he is good at everything Albus! Even history!" he said.

"He's as good as his mother at charms and I'm happy about that. A mini Lily Evans." Flitwick said smiling.

"And as good as James at transfiguration. He may be a one of your snakes Horace but I'm proud of my former lion." McGonagall said.

While they had their meeting they were getting curious about what will happen this year.

The next day they were having breakfast and talking about what happened to the meeting.

"So the Dark Lord is still thrilled you joined him and as an animagus will make it easier for him to find out things." Blaise said.

"Yup. I try and do it as good as I can." Harry said.

Later that afternoon Harry and Daphne were at the Three Broomsticks.

"So, how do you like being a Slytherin?" Daphne asked.

"It's good. No fighting, back turning and stuff like that." Harry said.

"Good. I'm glad you like it here."

"I've called Hogwarts home since first year." he said.

"I bet it feels good to be with people like you."

"Yeah, it does."

After they ate they went to visit Fred and George.

When they got there they bumped into Ron and Hermione. Fred and George saw them and stood there to watch what was going to happen.

"So, Potter and Greengrass are here." Ron said.

"So what? This is technically my building. Which means I can come anytime I want." Harry said.

"What do you mean your building?" Hermione asked.

"Harry bought this building and gave Fred and George after the Tri-wizard Tournament fourth year." Daphne said.

Ron and Hermione stood there in shock.

"It's true Ron, Hermione. He did buy this for us and gave us the money for our shop. So technically he could kick us out if he wants to." George said.

"With a war going on we need some fun." Harry said.

"Yes we do." Fred said smiling.

After that Harry and Daphne headed back to school.

Later after dinner Dumbledore told Harry he wanted to see him in his office.

When he got there he stood there and waited.

"Ah Harry you got my message."

He nodded.

"Enjoying your new classes?"

"Yes." he said.

"Professor Slughorn is most impressive."

"I think he overestimates my abilities sir. Just like any other professor is this year." he said.

Then Dumbledore stood up and headed to get something.

"You must be wondering why I summoned you here. The answer is this. These are memories of one person: Voldemort."

He stood there in shock.

"Or as he once was called, Tom Riddle."

Then he picked up a memory and looked at them.

"This vial has most sufficient memory." he started.

Harry waited.

"The day I first met him. I'd like you to see it."

So he poured the pensive into his memory holder and then they went inside.

_He mounted the few steps leading to the front door and knocked once. After a moment or two, the door was opened by a girl wearing an apron._

_"Good afternoon. I have an appointment with a Mrs. Cole."_

_"Oh, alright. Just a moment, MRS. COLE!" she bellowed over her shoulder._

_She turned back to Dumbledore._

_"Come in, she's on her way."_

_Dumbledore stepped into a hallway tiled in black and white. The whole place was shabby but very clean. When the front door had closed behind them, a skinny, harassed-looking woman came toward them. She had a sharp-featured face that appeared and was talking over her shoulder to another aproned helper as she walked toward Dumbledore._

_"Good afternoon," said Dumbledore, holding out his hand. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I sent you a letter requesting an appointment and you very kindly invited me here today."_

_Mrs. Cole blinked. Apparently deciding that Dumbledore wasn't a hallucination._

_"Oh yes. Well then- you'd better come into my room." she said._

_She led Dumbledore into a small room that seemed part sitting room, part office. It was as shabby as the hallway and the furniture was old and mismatched. She invited him to sit on a rickety chair while she sat behind a cluttered desk._

_"I'm here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Tom Riddle and arrangements for his future." said Dumbledore._

_"Are you family?" asked Mrs. Cole._

_"No, I am a teacher," he said. "I've come to offer Tom a place at my school."_

_"What school then?"_

_"It's called Hogwarts." said Dumbledore._

_"And why are you interested in Tom?"_

_"We believe he has qualities we're looking for."_

_"You mean he's won a scholarship? How can he have done? He's never been entered for one."_

_"Well, his name has been down for our school since birth-"_

_"Who registered him? His parents?"_

_There was no doubt that Mrs. Cole was an inconveniently sharp woman. Apparently Dumbledore thought so too, he slip his wand out of his pocket, at the same time picking up a piece of perfectly blank paper from Mrs. Cole's desktop._

_"Here," he said waving his wand once as he passed her the piece of paper. "I think this will make everything clear."_

_Mrs. Cole's eyes slid out of focus and back again as she gazed intently at the blank paper for a moment._

_"That seems perfectly in order," she said placidly, handing it back._

_Then her eyes fell upon a bottle of gin and two glasses that had certainly not been present a few seconds before._

_"May I offer you a glass of gin?" she said._

_"Thank you very much," said Dumbledore, beaming._

_It soon became clear that Mrs. Cole was no novice when it came to gin drinking. Pouring both of them a generous measure, she drained her own glass in one gulp._

_She smiled at Dumbledore for the first time, and he didn't hesitate to press his advantage._

_"I was wondering whether you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle's history? I think he was born here in the orphanage?"_

_"That's right," said Mrs. Cole, helping herself to more gin._

_"I remember it clear as anything, because I'd just started here myself. New Year's Eve and bitter cold, snowing, nasty night. And this girl, not much older than I was myself at the time, came staggering up the front steps. Well, she wasn't the first. We took her in, and she had the baby within the hour. She was dead in another hour."_

_Mrs. Cole nodded impressively and took another generous gulp of gin._

_"Did she say anything before she died?" he asked. "Anything about the boy's father, for instance?"_

_"Yes, she did," said Mrs. Cole, who seemed to be rather enjoying herself now, with the gin in her hand and an eager audience for her story._

_"I remember she said, 'I hope he looks like his papa,' and I won't lie, she was right to hope it, because she was no beauty- and then she told me he was to be named Tom, for his father, and Marvolo, for her father- yes, I know, funny name, isn't it? We wondered whether she came from a circus she said the boy's last name was to be Riddle. And she died soon after that without another word. Well, we named him just as she'd said, it seemed so important to the poor girl, but no Tom, Marvolo or any kind of Riddle ever came looking for him. Or any family at all, so he stayed in the orphanage and he's been here ever since." Mrs. Cole helped herself, almost absentmindedly, to another healthy measure of gin._

_Then she said, "He's a funny boy."_

_"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I thought he might be."_

_"They're odd."_

_"He was a funny baby too. He hardly ever cried. And then, when he got a little older, he was… odd."_

_"Odd in what way?" asked Dumbledore gently._

_"Well, he-" But Mrs. Cole pulled up short, and there was nothing blurry or vague about the inquisitorial glance she shot Dumbledore over her gin glass._

_"He's definitely got a place at your school, you say?"_

_"Definitely," said Dumbledore._

_"And nothing I say can change that?"_

_"Nothing," said Dumbledore._

_"You'll be taking him away, whatever?"_

_"Whatever," repeated Dumbledore._

_She decided she could trust him, because she said in a sudden rush,_

_"He scares the other children."_

_"You mean he is a bully?" asked Dumbledore._

_"I think he must be," said Mrs. Cole, frowning slightly, "but it's very hard to catch him at it. There have been incidents... Nasty things..."_

_Dumbledore didn't press her. She took another gulp of gin._

_"Billy Stubbs' rabbit... well, Tom said he didn't do it. And I don't see how he could have done, but even so, it didn't hang itself from the rafters, did it?"_

_"I shouldn't think so, no," said Dumbledore quietly._

_"But I'm jiggered if I know how he got up there to do it. All I know is he and Billy had argued the day before. And then- well, Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop were never quite right afterwards, and all we ever got out of them was that they'd gone into a cave with Tom Riddle. He swore they'd just gone exploring, but something happened in there, I'm sure of it. And, there have been a lot of things... funny things."_

_She looked at Dumbledore again._

_"I don't think many people will be sorry to see the back of him."_

_"You understand, I'm sure, that we will not be keeping him permanently?" said Dumbledore._

_"He we'll have to return here every summer."_

_"Oh, well, that's better than a whack on the nose with a rusty poker." she said with a slight hiccup._

_She got to her feet._

_"I suppose you'd like to see him?"_

_"Very much." he said getting up too._

_She led him out of her office and up the stone stairs._

_"Here we are," said Mrs. Cole as they turned off the second landing and stopped outside the first door in a long corridor._

_She knocked twice and entered._

_"Tom? You've got a visitor. This is Mr. Dumbledore. He's come to tell you- well, I'll let him do it."_

_Dumbledore entered the room, and Mrs. Cole closed the door on them. It was a small bare room with nothing in it except an old wardrobe and an iron bedstead. A boy was sitting on top of the gray blankets, his legs stretched out in front of him, holding a book._

_There was no trace of the Gaunts in Tom Riddle's face. Merope had got her dying wish: He was his handsome father in miniature, tall for eleven years old, dark-haired, and pale. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Dumbledore's eccentric appearance. There was a moment's silence._

_"How do you do, Tom?" said Dumbledore, walking forward and holding out his hand._

_The boy hesitated, then took it, and they shook hands. Dumbledore drew up the hard wooden chair beside Riddle, so that the pair of them looked rather like a hospital patient and visitor._

_"I am Professor Dumbledore."_

_"'Professor'?" repeated Riddle. He looked wary. "Is that like 'doctor'? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?"_

_He was pointing at the door through which Mrs. Cole had just left._

_"No, no," said Dumbledore, smiling. "I don't believe you," said Riddle._

_"She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!" He spoke the last three words with a ringing force that was almost shocking._

_It was a command, and it sounded as though he had given it many times before. His eyes had widened and he was glaring at Dumbledore, who made no response except to continue smiling pleasantly._

_After a few seconds Riddle stopped glaring, though he looked, if anything, warier still._

_"Who are you?"_

_"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school- your new school, if you would like to come."_

_Riddle's reaction to this was most surprising. He leapt from the bed and backed away from Dumbledore, looking furious._

_"You can't kid me! The asylum, that's where you're from, isn't it? 'Professor,' yes, of course- well, I'm not going, see? That old cat's the one who should be in the asylum. I never did anything to little Amy Benson or Dennis Bishop, and you can ask them, they'll tell you!"_

_"I am not from the asylum," said Dumbledore patiently. "I am a teacher and, if you will sit down calmly, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. Of course, if you would rather not come to the school, nobody will force you-"_

_"I'd like to see them try," sneered Riddle._

_"Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, as though he had not heard Riddle's last words, "is a school for people with special abilities-"_

_"I'm not mad!"_

_"I know that you are not mad. Hogwarts is not a school for mad people. It is a school of magic."_

_There was silence. Riddle had frozen, his face expressionless, but his eyes were flickering back and forth between each of Dumbledore's, as though trying to catch one of them lying._

_"Magic?" he repeated in a whisper._

_"That's right," said Dumbledore._

_"It's… it's magic, what I can do?"_

_"What is it that you can do?"_

_"All sorts," breathed Riddle._

_A flush of excitement was rising up his neck into his hollow cheeks; he looked fevered._

_"I can make filings move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want to."_

_His legs were trembling. He stumbled forward and sat down on the bed again, staring at his hands, his head bowed as though in prayer._

_"I knew I was different," he whispered to his own quivering fingers._

_"I knew I was special. Always, I knew there was something."_

_"Well, you were quite right," said Dumbledore, who was no longer smiling, but watching Riddle intently. "You are a wizard."_

_Riddle lifted his head. His face was transfigured: There was a wild happiness upon it, yet for some reason it didn't make him better looking; on the contrary, his finely carved features seemed somehow rougher, his expression almost bestial._

_"Are you a wizard too?"_

_"Yes, I am."_

_"Prove it," said Riddle at once, in the same commanding tone he had used when he had said, "Tell the truth."_

_Dumbledore raised his eyebrows._

_"If, as I take it, you are accepting your place at Hogwarts-"_

_"Of course I am!"_

_"Then you will address me as 'Professor' or 'sir.'"_

_Riddle's expression hardened for the most fleeting moment before he said, in an unrecognizably polite voice,_

_"I'm sorry, sir. I meant- please, Professor, could you show me-?"_

_Dumbledore drew his wand from an inside pocket of his suit jacket, pointed it at the shabby wardrobe in the corner, and gave the wand a casual flick. The wardrobe burst into flames._

_Riddle jumped to his feet; howling in shock and rage. But as Riddle rounded on Dumbledore, the flames vanished, leaving the wardrobe completely undamaged._

_Riddle stared from the wardrobe to Dumbledore; then, his expression greedy, he pointed at the wand._

_"Where can I get one of them?"_

_"All in good time," said Dumbledore. "I think there is something trying to get out of your wardrobe."_

_And sure enough, a faint rattling could be heard from inside it. For the first time, Riddle looked frightened._

_"Open the door," said Dumbledore._

_Riddle hesitated, then crossed the room and threw open the wardrobe door. On the topmost shelf, above a rail of threadbare clothes, a small cardboard box was shaking and rattling as though there were several frantic mice trapped inside it._

_"Take it out," said Dumbledore._

_Riddle took down the quaking box. He looked unnerved._

_"Is there anything in that box that you ought not to have?" asked Dumbledore. Riddle threw Dumbledore a long, clear, calculating look._

_"Yes, I suppose so, sir," he said finally, in a expressionless voice._

_"Open it," said Dumbledore. Riddle took off the lid and tipped the contents onto his bed without looking at them. There was a mess of small, everyday objects: a yo-yo, a silver thimble, and a tarnished mouth organ among them. Once free of the box, they stopped quivering and lay quite still upon the thin blankets._

_"You will return them to their owners with your apologies," said Dumbledore calmly, putting his wand back into his jacket._

_"I shall know whether it has been done. And be warned: Thieving is not tolerated at Hogwarts."_

_Riddle did not look remotely abashed; he was still staring coldly and appraisingly at Dumbledore._

_At last he said in a colorless voice, "Yes, sir."_

_"At Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, "we teach you not only to use magic, but to control it. You have- inadvertently, I am sure- been using your powers in a way that is neither taught nor tolerated at our school. You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to allow your magic to run away with you. But you should know that Hogwarts can expel students, and the Ministry of Magic- yes, there is a Ministry- will punish lawbreakers still more severely. All new wizards must accept that, in entering our world, they abide by our laws."_

_"Yes, sir," said Riddle again._

_It was impossible to tell what he was thinking; his face remained quite blank as he put the little cache of stolen objects back into the cardboard box._

_When he had finished, he turned to Dumbledore and said baldly, "I haven't got any money."_

_"That is easily remedied," said Dumbledore, drawing a leather money-pouch from his pocket. "There is a fund at Hogwarts for those who require assistance to buy books and robes. You might have to buy some of your spell books and so on secondhand, but-"_

_"Where do you buy spell books?" interrupted Riddle, who had taken the heavy money bag without thanking Dumbledore, and was now examining a fat gold Galleon._

_"In Diagon Alley," said Dumbledore. "I have your list of books and school equipment with me. I can help you find everything-"_

_"You're coming with me?" asked Riddle, looking up._

_"Certainly, if you-"_

_"I don't need you," said Riddle. "I'm used to doing things for myself; I go round London on my own all the time. How do you get to this Diagon Alley- sir?" he added, catching Dumbledore's eye._

_Dumbledore handed Riddle the envelope containing his list of equipment, and after telling Riddle exactly how to get to the Leaky Cauldron from the orphanage, he said,_

_"You will be able to see it, although Muggles around you- non-magical people, that is- will not. Ask for Tom the barman- easy enough to remember, as he shares your name-"_

_Riddle gave an irritable twitch, as though trying to displace an irksome fly._

_"You dislike the name 'Tom'?"_

_"There are a lot of Toms," muttered Riddle._

_Then, as though he could not suppress the question, as though it burst from him in spite of himself, he asked,_

_"Was my father a wizard? He was called Tom Riddle too, they've told me."_

_"I'm afraid I don't know," said Dumbledore, his voice gentle._

_"My mother can't have been magic, or she wouldn't have died," said Riddle, more to himself than Dumbledore._

_"It must've been him. So- when I've got all my stuff- when do I come to this Hogwarts?"_

_"All the details are on the second piece of parchment in your envelope," said Dumbledore. "You will leave from King's Cross Station on the first of September. There is a train ticket in there too."_

_Riddle nodded. Dumbledore got to his feet and held out his hand again. Taking it, Riddle said,_

_"I can speak to snakes. I found out when we've been to the country on trips- they find me, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?"_

_"It is unusual," said Dumbledore, after a moment's hesitation, "but not unheard of."_

_His tone was casual but his eyes moved curiously over Riddle's face. They stood for a moment, man and boy, staring at each other. Then the handshake was broken; Dumbledore was at the door._

_"Good-bye, Tom. I shall see you at Hogwarts."_

Then they were out of the memory.

"Did you know sir, then?" Harry asked.

"That I had just met the most dangerous wizard? No. If I did I wouldn't have let him go. Over time while here at Hogwarts, Tom Riddle grew close to one particular teacher."

He looked at Harry.

"Can you guess who that teacher might be?"

"You didn't ask Professor Slughorn to come back simply to teach, did you Professor?" he asked.

"No, I didn't. You see the reason I brought him back is because he has something we need. But he won't give it to easily."

"You said Professor Slughorn would try and collect me." Harry started.

"I did." Dumbledore said.

"Do you want me to let him?" he continued.

"Yes."

He nodded and headed to Slytherin Common Room.


	14. Chapter 14

When he got there he sat there quietly thinking about what to say to Voldemort at the next meeting.

Daphne, Draco, Theodore, Blaise and Astoria noticed he was sitting there thinking.

"Harry?" Daphne said.

He jumped and looked up.

"Oh, hi." he said.

"Something wrong?" Draco asked.

"Dumbledore had me go to his office because it's time for me to find out what happened to the Dark Lord and why he asked Slughorn to come back."

Everyone sat there in silence.

"You're going to tell him right? The Dark Lord?" Theodore asked.

"Of course I am! When he calls for a meeting. Our connection is closed after Snape teaching me Occlamency last year."

The others nodded then went to bed.

Two weeks later Harry was in his anamagus and saw Dumbledore come back from something.

While he did that he felt his arm burn. He winced and then headed to Snape's office.

When he got there he went back to himself and saw Snape open the door.

"Come on Potter. Let's see what we have this time." Snape said.

"I can already tell my head is going to be ready to split in half." Harry said.

When they got to Malfoy Manor Harry was a little nervous but hid it thanking his aunt and uncle for teaching him to hide his emotions as much as he could.

"My Lord." Snape said.

"Severus, where's Harry?" Voldemort asked.

"Right here My Lord." Harry said.

"Ah, sit down next to Bellatrix."

He nodded and sat down.

"Aunt Bella, Aunt Cissy." he said.

"Harry." they said together.

"Harry, I can tell you have something on your mind today. Let's start with you." Voldemort said.

Everyone noticed that to.

"I started to see a memory about the day you found out you were a wizard two weeks ago. And saw Dumbledore come back from nowhere a few minutes ago." he said and winced tightly feeling his scar burn like he thought it would.

"He was trying to find one of my other horcruxes. And wants you to find out how I made them."

"That's why he had Slughorn come back. Because I have a feeling there's a memory he played with." Harry said.

"What was he looking for?"

"Some kind of locket I think. I heard him say something about Slytherins locket."

"Alright. Tell me every memory you see and when you see it."

"Yes My Lord."

"Alright, Severus, anything from Order meetings?"

"They want to try and get Dumbledore to train Potter to defeat you. Potter is a very good lier now but will tell his friends and in the future his girlfriend Daphne Greengrass what they miss." Snape said.

Some of them smirked knowing that they were going out and getting closer from their children at Hogwarts while Harry turned bright red.

"Ah, young love. It never gets old. Many girls tried to go out with me over the years." Voldemort said.

Everyone looked at him in shock.

"Ok, let's just get back to work." Harry said.

After that they went back to school and Harry told his friends what's going on.

"So your jobs are to get to know Slughorn for some reason and keep the Dark Lord posted what you do at Dumbledore's office?" Blaise said.

"Pretty much. I can handle it though. I used to do a lot of stuff at my aunt and uncle's house." Harry said.

They all nodded and headed to dinner.

A few weeks later Harry was about to talk to Daphne about something and hoping she said yes.

When he got to the Room of Requirements and saw her waiting for him. Then they took hands and went inside and Daphne waited.

They had been holding hands while walking to classes and working together in classes to. Daphne was now second best of their year. But nobody will beat Harry. Hermione was even more jealous of them. Same with Ron about his grades, fame, fortune and now going out with someone.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Daphne asked.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to be my girlfriend?" Harry asked.

She stood there quietly.

"Daphne? You ok?" he asked.

Then she came back smiling and nodded.

"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend." she said.

He smiled and took out a ring.

"This is a ring my dad gave my mum when they started going out. I switched it to silver and green."

She looked at it and smiled.

"Well, why don't we go back to the common room and show our fellow snakes what we've become?" Daphne said smiling.

He nodded and took her hand.

When they got there everyone froze and saw them smiling and holding hands. Then they saw a ring. Harry had showed the boys the ring and they liked it.

"Do I see what I think I see?" Blaise said smirking.

"Yes you do Blaise." Daphne said.

Then they sat down and looked at each other's homework.

Before they knew it they were on Christmas break.

Harry and Daphne were at the Slug Club party.

Then Snape came.

"Professor Dumbledore wishes you a happy Christmas and will be traveling during the break." he said.

Harry already had an idea of what it was for.

Then they saw Draco being pulled by Filch.

"Get off me you squib!" he said.

"Professor, I just saw one of your students ease dropping on you." Filch said.

"I'll, escort him out." Snape said.

Draco took his shoulder off of Filch.

"Certainly, Professor." he said.

Harry already knows what he was going after him for.

Then they continued the party.

A week later Harry was back at Grimauld Place and was having a Christmas party.

Harry had gotten Daphne a locket with a picture of their first kiss last week.

She was there for the party to.

When it was Harry's turn to give Daphne her present he waited while she opened it.

She looked at him smiling.

"You like it?" he asked while he put it on.

"I love it." she said.

Then she handed Harry his present and found a book that involves both defense and dark magic. That surprised everyone.

"If he needs to defeat the Dark Lord he needs to know how to defend himself and what kind of magic he knows about." she explained to them all.

Then they all nodded knowing she was right.

Then she leaned closer to Harry.

"It says what a horcrux is and how you make one."

He nodded and was thankful she did that.

A few hours later they split up. Daphne was spending the night with Harry but in a different room, for now.

When they got up they went to the kitchen.

"Good morning Master Harry, Mistress Daphne." Winky said smiling.

"Good morning Winky." Harry said.

"What can Winky makes you for breakfast?" she asked.

"I wouldn't mind some French Toast." Harry said.

"Sounds good to me." Daphne said.

Winky nodded and then went to work.

"She just _loves_ working for a master again." Daphne said.

"I remember she was miserable being set free. So she agreed to work with Kreacher and same thing with Dobby after I set him free." he said.

She nodded and then they sat down and ate breakfast.


	15. Chapter 15

Sure enough they were back at school. Harry was in Dumbledore's office again and watching the next memory.

_"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" Tom asked._

_"Tom, I couldn't tell you if I knew, could I? And by the way, thank you for the pineapple. You're quite right._

_It is my favorite. But how did you know?" Slughorn said._

_"Intuition." he said._

_"Good gracious, is it that time already? Off you go, boys, or Professor Dippett will have us all in detention."_

_Next was Tom tapping Slughorn's time castle._

_"Look sharp, Tom. Don't be caught out of bed after hours. Is something on your mind, Tom?"_

_"Yes, sir. See, I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. The other professors... Well, they're not like you. They might misunderstand."_

_"Go on."_

_"I was in the library the other night. In the restricted section. And I picked something rather odd about this rare magic. I thought perhaps, you could illuminate me. It's called, as I understand it, Horcrux."_

_"I beg your pardon? I don't know anything about such things and if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Now get out of here at once and don't let me ever catch you mentioning them again!"_

When they were gone they sat down.

"Confused? I'd be surprised if you weren't." Dumbledore said.

"I don't understand." he said.

"This is perhaps the most important memory of them all. But it's also a lie. This memory has been tampered with by our old friend, Professor Slughorn himself." Dumbledore said.

"But why would he tamper his own memory?"

"I suppose he's ashamed of himself." Dumbledore said.

"Why?"

He already had an idea why.

"Why indeed. I asked you to get to know him and you did so. Now I want you to persuade him to divulge him his true memory. Anyway you can."

"I don't know him that well sir. Even though I'm in Slytherin now I still don't know him that well." he said.

"This memory is everything. Without it, we're blind. Without it, we leave the fate of our world to chance. You have no choice. You must not fail."

He nodded.

"I'll do the best I can sir." he said.

Then they split up and Harry headed to the common room.

The next day Harry was on his way to potions when he felt his mark go on. It was a little stronger than usual today. He hissed louder than usual, dropped his books and put his hand on his arm. His knees started to buckle but he caught himself.

He picked up his books and then headed to Snape forgetting to copy himself because the pain was so bad today.

When he got there he had trouble walking. While Snape watched him he noticed how he was walking and was a little worried about him.

"Come on Potter, let's go." he said.

So Harry put his books on the table, got changed and headed to Malfoy Manor. He was a little nervous about it this time though because he was going to have to tell him about the memory he saw and had to try and get the real one.

When he got there he sat next to Greyback and waited.

Everyone noticed the look on his face and wondered what he was worried about.

"Alright, Harry I want to know what memory you saw last time." Voldemort said.

He gulped.

"Well, I saw a memory last night of when you asked Slughorn about Horcruxes and found out it was played with by him. And Dumbledore wants me to get the real memory from him."

He felt Voldemort's anger and winced tightly from his scar. Then started rubbing it.

While he did that Voldemort took out his wand. He was furious at him.

_"Crucio!"_

Then Harry was on the ground screaming for the first time.

"AHHHHHHH!"

Then a few minutes later he was done and was touched by Voldemort on his scar making him screaming louder.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

While he did that Snape was even more worried about his now favorite student. Everyone else were shocked at how strong of the pain he was hit by causing him to yell for the first time ever.

A few minutes later he was done. Harry had a lot of trouble fighting the pain this time. He took deep shaking breaths and had trouble getting up.

Greyback helped him up and sit back down. Harry opened his mouth to say thanks but couldn't say anything.

Since he wasn't the potions master anymore Snape couldn't give him a pain killer when they got to school.

When they were done Snape had to help him to class. Luckily he had Defense now.

When they got there he sat down next to Daphne and winced tightly. She looked at Draco and he was worried about him to. Then she looked at Harry.

"Harry? You ok?" she asked and put her hand on his shoulder making him hiss and wince tightly.

She took her hand right off of him.

Snape looked at him even more worried but hid it. Harry used a glamour to hide it until they got to the common room.

While they listened to him during class he would look at Harry for a second. His old friends noticed he was in a lot of pain and wondered what was wrong. Ron and Hermione had a feeling it was his scar again.

After classes and dinner Harry, Daphne, Tracy, Draco, Theodore and Blaise were in the common room. They looked at Harry and watched him take the glamour off.

When they saw him they gasped.

"No _wonder_ you hurt too much for me to touch you!" Daphne said.

"Jeez! What did you do?" Blaise asked shocked.

"I told him that I saw a fake memory and Dumbledore needs me to get the real memory of Slughorn telling him about Horcruxes." he said.

When he moved he winced and moaned.

"Kreacher." he called.

"Master Harry call Kreacher?" Then he looked at him in shock. "May Kreacher ask what happened?"

"The Dark Lord was mad at me and something so he hit me with a strong Crucio and my scar for a good five minutes each. Can you please bring me some tea that will make me feel at least a little better please?" he said.

So Kreacher nodded and then went and got him some tea.

Snape came and checked on Harry.

"Are you alright Potter?" he asked.

"Not really. I just asked Kreacher to get me some tea with something to get at least some of the pain out. And after using so much strength on the glamour I'm exhausted."

Then Kreacher came with some tea for Harry, his friends and girlfriend.

"Here you go Master Harry."

"Thanks Kreacher that'll be all for right now."

He bowed and went back to the kitchen.

So they took a cup and when Harry took a sip he started to feel better.

He sighed in relief.

"That's better, still sore but less."

"Good. You deserve it after the pain he gives you." Daphne said.

Everyone else nodded and Snape looked sorry for him. He has been a Death Eater since he was seventeen and no one has ever been hit by the torture curse as long and strong as Harry. Never mind him not having a scar like that and the pain he has to feel when he touches it, close and anger.

The next day Harry went to Slughorn's office to get the memory he needed. He had a plan.

"Ah, Mr. Potter! To what do I owe the pleasure of?" Slughorn asked smiling.

"I was just wondering if you could check something. I found a potions homework from last year I forgot to give to Snape." Harry said innocently.

"Of course I'll check it for you." he smiling.

So he gave him his homework and while Slughorn looked at it Harry took out a pensive and his wand.

_"Imperio!"_ he whispered.

_"Give me the memory of the day Tom Riddle brought up horcruxes."_ he said then handed him a pensive and Slughorn took it out then put it in the pensive.

_"Obliviate."_ Harry said causing Slughorn to forget he gave Harry the memory but still thought he was checking Harry's homework.

When Harry took it off he listened to Slughorn.

"Well Mr. Potter, everything looks correct."

"Thank you sir. I was just checking before I give it to him since it's his homework."

Then he put it in his backpack and headed to Dumbledore.

_'I knew that would work.'_ he thought.

When he got to Dumbledore's office he opened the door causing him to jump.

_"Sir, I got the memory we needed." Harry said._

_"Excellent! Give it here Harry." Dumbledore said smiling._

_So he put down the memory and then they went inside._

_"I was in the library the other day. In the restricted section..._

_and I read something rather odd about this rare magic. It's called, as I understand it, a Horcrux." Tom said._

_"I beg your pardon?" Slughorn said._

_"Horcrux. I came across the term while reading... and I didn't fully understand it."_

_"I'm not sure what you were reading, Tom, but this is very dark stuff. Very dark, indeed."_

_"Which is... why I came to you."_

_"A horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul." he started to explain._

_"But I don't understand how that works, sir. One splits one's soul and hides part of it in an object."_

_"By doing so, you are protected, should you be attacked and your body destroyed."_

_"Protected?"_

_"That part of your soul which is hidden lives on. In other words, you cannot die."_

_"And how does one splits his soul, sir?"_

_Harry noticed Tom playing with the ring._

_"I think you already know the answer to that, Tom."_

_"Murder."_

_"Yes, killing rips the soul apart and it is a violation against nature."_

_"Can you only split the soul once? For instance, isn't seven-"_

_"Seven? Merlin's beard, Tom Isn't it bad enough to consider killing one person? To rip the soul in seven pieces! This is all hypothetical, isn't it, Tom? All academic?"_

_He turned around and looked at him._

_"Of course, sir. It'll be our little secret."_

Then they were out of it.

"Sir?" Harry started.

Dumbledore raised his hand.

"This is beyond what I imagined." he said.

"Do you mean sir, that he succeeded?"

"Oh yes, he succeeded. And not just once." He headed to his desk.

"What are they exactly?"

"Could be anything. A ring for example."

He pushed up the ring.

"Or a book."

Then he picked up the book.

"Tom Riddle's diary." she said.

"It's a Horcrux yes. Four years ago when you saved Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets the memory was scared when you were destroying it. After that you brought me this. I knew it then was a very dark and powerful object. Until tonight I had no idea how powerful."

"And the ring?" he asked.

"Belonged to his mother. It was different to find but even more difficult to destroy."

"But if we can find and destroy each Horcrux we can destroy Voldemort. How could you find and destroy them? They could be anywhere!" he said.

"True, but magic, especially dark magic can leave a trace."

"It's where you've been going sir. Isn't it? When you leave school?" he said.

"Yes. And I think I might have found another one. But this time I can't hope to destroy it alone."

He looked at Harry.

"Once again I must ask to much of you."

He looked Dumbledore and nodded.

When he left he headed to the Slytherin common room.

When he got there he told everyone what he found out.

Blaise opened his mouth but was interrupted by a hiss from Harry and Draco.

"Yup, he's angry." Harry said wincing and rubbing his scar now.

"Be careful mate." Theo said.

"We'll see what happens this time." Harry said then headed to Snape's office.

When they got there Harry was even more nervous than last time.

Then he sat next to Wormtail.

"Prongslet." Peter said.

Harry just glared at him causing everyone from his school years to shiver.

"Everyone at school shivers when I glare at them and now they call me the Ice King now." Harry said rolling his eyes.

"So we've heard." Lucius said.

Then they stopped talking and listened to Voldemort.

"What happened today?" Voldemort asked.

"I got the memory Dumbledore needed me to find."

"How?"

"I um faked some fifth year homework I said I forgot to give Snape and asked him to check it. While he did that I used the imperious curse and made him give it to me. Then I obliviated that I used it to make it easier."

Everyone sat there in shock.

"What? I had to think of _somehow_ to get it."

"We're just surprised that you would do something like that." Greyback said.

"Am I still the hero or a Death Eater now?"

"Good point."

So they continued the meeting.

When they got back to school Harry headed to the Slytherin common room and told Draco, Daphne, Blaise and Theo what happened as usual.


	16. Chapter 16

Later that night Harry was heading to the Astrometry tower. While he headed to meet up with Dumbledore he heard Snape and Dumbledore.

"Did it ever cross your brilliant mind that I don't want to do this anymore? That you ask to much?" Snape said.

"Whether it has or hasn't is irrelevant. I will not negotiate with you, Severus. You agreed. Nothing more to discuss." Dumbledore said.

So Snape left and then looked at Harry.

"You remember the Dark Lord will be here later?"

Harry nodded.

Then Snape continued to leave.

After that Harry headed to Dumbledore.

"Oh Harry. You need to shave my friend. You know, I forgot how much you have grown. At times I still see the small boy I visited."

He smiled.

"Forgive my mawkishness you two. I'm an old man." he said.

"You still look the same to me sir." Harry said.

"Just like your mother you are unfailingly kind. A trait people never fail to undervalue, I'm afraid. The place to which we journey tonight is extremely dangerous. I promise you for the company of me and I stand by that promise. But there's one condition. You must obey every command I give you without question."

"Yes sir." he said.

"You understand what I'm saying right? Should I tell you to run, you run. Should I tell you to hide you hide. Should I tell you two to leave me here and protect yourselves you do so. Your word Harry."

"My word." he said.

"Good, now we're going to be apparating to get to where we will."

"Alright."

So he took Dumbledore's hand and were gone.

A few seconds later they were on a rock in the ocean across from a cave.

When they got across the water and off the ocean Dumbledore looked around.

"This is the place. Oh yes." he said.

Then he took out a knife and started cutting his hand.

"Sir." he said.

"In order to gain passages payment must be made." he said.

"You should have let me sir."

_'Why did I just say that?'_

"Oh no. Your blood is more precious than mine." he said.

_'Good.'_

Then he put his hand and waved it against the wall.

When it was open they walked over to where it was close.

When they got there they looked at what's across from them.

Dumbledore made some light go to it.

"There it is. The question is how do we get there?"

"Perhaps accio would work?" he said.

"Good idea, why don't you try Harry?" Dumbledore said.

"OK, _accio!_"

It didn't work.

"Hmm, good try Harry." he said.

Then he thought of something and put his hand in front of the water.

Then something started to come out.

"Harry if you will."

He started pulling the string and the boat got closer.

So they went into it and headed across the water.

When they got there they helped each other up to the rocks.

"Do you think this is the Horcrux sir?" Harry said.

_'I really hope it's not.'_

"Oh yes. The question is how?" Dumbledore said.

Then he saw the cup and picked it up.

"You remember the conditions on which I brought you with me? This potion might paralyze me. I may risk to get what I'm here. It'd cause me so much pain that I'd beg for relief. It's your job, Harry, to make sure I keep drinking this potion. Even if you have to force it down my throat. Understood?"

"Why can't I drink it sir?" he asked.

"Because I am much older. You're in good health Harry."

Then he picked some up and put it in his mouth. He started shaking a bit.

"Professor!"

He then got some more.

"You have to keep drinking like you said, remember?"

"Stop." Dumbledore said.

"I will stop. I will stop. But only- only if you keep drinking."

"Don't make me- Kill me." he said fighting her hand.

"I'm sorry, sir." he said.

"Kill me! All my fault. My fault." he said.

Finally they were on the last one.

"Just one more, sir. One more, I promise. I promise I'll do what you say." he said.

"No, no."

"I promise!" he said.

So Dumbledore opened his mouth and Harry put it in his mouth.

Then he headed over to the empty shelf.

"We did it sir! We did it." he said.

"Harry, water. Water." Dumbledore said.

"Water."

He put the locket in his pocket and took out his wand.

_"Aguamenti!"_

Then some water came but didn't work.

Then he headed to the lake and put the cup in it.

When he had water in the cup he was grabbed by people. He got them off.

_"Lumos maxima!"_

Then he saw bodies.

He started aiming some spells at them.

_"Stupefy! Stupefy Sectumsempra!" _

"Harry..." Dumbledore said reaching for his wand.

_"Incarcerous! Stupefy!"_

"Harry... Harry..."

_"Partis Temporus!"_

Then Harry was underwater.

He finally came up spitting out water and saw fire all over the room.

Then he got up, grabbed Dumbledore's arm and was gone.

A few seconds later they were in the astronomy Tower.

"We have to get you to the hospital wing sir. To Madam Pomfrey." Harry said.

"No, Severus, get Severus." Dumbledore said.

He looked at him.

"Harry do what I say, trust me." he said.

So he headed to the stairs smirking after he turned around.

When he was unseen he waited and listened to Dumbledore say something.

"Good evening Draco."

He knew Draco needed to kill Dumbledore and he didn't want to.

"What is Harry doing here?" Malfoy said.

"He was just out here and I was looking for him. I found him up here. Have you always been to yourself Draco? Draco, you are assassin."

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that shock you."

"Oh, like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she would bear a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one lace with poison. Forgive me, Draco, I cannot help feel these actions are so weak that your... heart can't really have been in." Dumbledore said.

"He trust me. I was chosen!" Malfoy said and took out his mark.

"I shall make it easy for you." Dumbledore said.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

Then Dumbledore's wand fell out of his hand.

"Very good, very good. You're not alone. There are others. How?"

"The vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirements. I've been mending it."

"I'm guessing it has a sister. A twin." Dumbledore said.

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage." Malfoy said.

"Ingenious. Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you."

"I don't want your help. Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you. Or he's gonna kill me." he said scared.

"Well look who we have here. Well done Draco." Bellatrix said.

"Good evening, Bellatrix. I think introductions aren't over, don't you?" Dumbledore said.

"Love to, Albus, but I'm afraid we're on a bit of tight schedule. Do it!" she said.

"He doesn't have the stomach. Just like his father. Let me finish him in my own way." someone else said.

"No, the Dark Lord was clear the boy has to do it. This is your moment, Draco. Do it! Go on, Draco, now!" Bellatrix said.

"No." said Snape when he came.

Then Harry appeared smirking.

"Harry?" Dumbledore said shocked.

_'Why would he do this? Then again, he was abandoned and not raised like I hopped.'_ he thought.

Harry opened his mouth but winced tightly and locked his occlumency as tightly as he could.

_'Yup, I was right.'_ he thought.

Then out of nowhere Voldemort came.

"Yes Dumbledore, your little helper is on my side now. After the childhood he got and the lies you've said to him over the years? I'm surprised he didn't join me sooner." Voldemort said.

"I'm also on the Dark Lord's side again like before the incident happened 15 years ago." Snape said.

"Severus?" Dumbledore said even more shocked.

"Now Harry, why don't you take care of the mission I gave Draco?" Voldemort said cutting them off.

Harry smirked.

"That's it Potter. Show him what he did to you years ago." Bellatrix said.

"Oh don't worry aunt Bella, I will in a minute." he said.

_'Aunt Bella?'_ Dumbledore thought shocked.

Then Harry pointed his wand at him.

_"Crucio!"_ he shouted.

"That's right Potter. Focus on him. Use the Black in you." Bellatrix said.

While he did that everyone smirked thrilled Harry could get it in him and put it on his Professor.

Then he was done a few minutes later.

Dumbledore could barely move.

"Like I said, I'm a very strong wizard."

Then he put his wand in front of Dumbledore.

_"Avada Kedavra!" _

Then green light to match his eyes and the color he lost his parents and Sirius from came and hit Dumbledore. He twitched for a second after the green light came out.

A few seconds later Bellatrix threw the Dark Mark then started to go outside.

When everyone got outside Harry stood there smirking with Snape, Bellatrix, the Lastrange twins and Malfoy next to him.

"Harry?" Remus said.

"Hello Remus, Tonks, Mad-Eye, everyone else." Harry said.

"Why did you join him? The person that killed your parents!" Hermione said.

"Crucio!" he said shocking everyone.

Then he stopped.

"Shut up you mudblood!" he yelled.

Everyone gasped at that while other Slytherins smirked.

"What kind of friends leave you after something you didn't make them do? Remus I gave you a second chance so you can leave again or join your only cub. Maybe figure out how to be civil with Wormtail. Or even friends again."

Remus stood there thinking.

_'Harry's your cub and the only member of the pack left. And maybe you could get a fresh start with Wormtail.'_ he thought.

Then to everyone's surprise Remus went over to Harry.

"You're my cub. And it's my responsibility to protect the cubs. I'm part of the Order but if I have to protect you I'll do it."

That shocked everyone. Then Harry smirked and nodded.

"So a second werewolf and marauder on my side." Voldemort said smirking.

"Then Remus went to stand next to Draco.

"Remus, how could you." Tonks said.

"Like I said Dora, he's my cub. And it's my responsibility to protect him. And maybe, be friends with Peter again."

She nodded knowing he was right, he's the alpha and the Potters and Sirius is his pack. Since Harry's the cub he has to look after him.

"You're welcome to join me to stay with him." Voldemort said.

She looked at him then everyone else. Then she went to be with Remus.

Everyone wasn't as shocked because she has Black in her and know she loves Remus.

Then the other Slytherins went over to them. Daphne went next to Harry and smiled.

Then Mad-Eye aimed a curse on Harry but he wiped it away with his hand causing it to go right back to him.

"You know what I can do Moody. You said yourself last year, I'd make a good auror." he said.

Then everyone stood there quietly. Shocked that Slytherin's that never took his side are now with them.

Then they apparated to Malfoy Manor.


	17. Chapter 17

When they got there they all sat down and waited. The children of Death Eaters stood with their parents while Harry stood with Remus and Tonks and Daphne stood with them.

"I'm surprised you got so many to join me." Voldemort said.

"I'm the Ice King now my lord. So like Daphne being the Ice Queen, I have control of them."

"Ice Queen?"

"I'm the person you don't want to mess with or get mad my lord." Daphne said.

"You really don't want to get her mad my lord. But I personally think you don't want to get on Harry's bad side the most." Blaise said.

Harry glared at him causing everyone to shiver and the kids and Snape to back up after.

"I see what you mean." Voldemort said even a little surprised himself.

After that everyone went home. Daphne slept with him at Grimauld Place while Astroid went home.

When they woke up Dobby made breakfast and Harry thought about what will happen between Remus and Peter.

_'I'll think of something._'

Then Hedwig came with the paper.

_Harry Potter dark?_

_Apparently Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, two people on the light side is now on the dark side. "I'm not that surprised he joined him. I heard what his family did to him and was surprised he didn't join him his fourth year at the third task. And after being left by his former friends I'm not surprised he was resorted this year. But I was shocked Severus is back to his side again. I don't know why he did that but he's no longer working at Hogwarts." Headmistress Minerva McGonagall said. Everyone is surprised at what happened last night. With Harry Potter, The Chosen One on the dark side now what will happen this time? Will the dark side win or will the light side win?_

Harry snorted at that.

"Oh please, with me on his side we're going to win by next week." he said.

"Yup." Daphne said.

A week later Harry was right. Voldemort now took over the ministry and they had killed all the muggleborn adults. Children were alive and now treated like house elves. Most blood traitors like the Weasley's were killed except for Slytherin's like Andromeda. Snape is now Headmaster of Hogwarts and Harry would be teaching Dark Arts after he finished school with Bellatrix.

Some people from his years and up weren't to surprised he joined the Dark Side. His former friends now realized what they did to him his fifth year and strongly regretted it.

Remus and Tonks are now married and have a son with Harry his godfather and Daphne his godmother. Their son is a metamorphosis like his mother which Remus is very thankful for.

It was the day before graduation and Harry and Daphne were in the common room. Harry had something in his pocket.

"So you wanted to talk to me about something?" she said.

"Yeah, I know it's only been a year but," then he took out the box and knelt down. "Daphne Greengrass, will you marry me?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Yes."

He smiled and put the ring on her and gave her a kiss.

A few months later they were at their wedding. Tracy as maid of honor and Draco as best man.

He and Astoria were going out now and were doing fine.

It was a muggle wedding so they could actually celebrate without anyone being scared.

"Do you, Harry Potter take Daphne Greengrass to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." he said.

"Do you, Daphne Greengrass take Harry Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." she said.

"You may now kiss the bride.

So they kissed each other and had the reception.

As the years went on Harry and Daphne had three kids. James Sirius Potter, Andrew Severus Greengrass and Lily Bellatrix Potter.

Harry taught Dark Arts with Belatrix and Daphne was a healer.

Everything was fine.


End file.
